A few days ago I had a conversation with a guy about getting back into shape, who said, “I don’t like running by myself. I need the motivation of running with someone.” I told him that I have run by myself for years since I never had anyone to run with, barring a few short stints. The conversation got me to thinking about what motivated me to run. Afterall, I am OK with running, but I certainly don’t love it. My motivation is a desire to stay in shape cardio vascularly speaking so that I can do the things I want to do, like hiking, playing with grandchildren, and approaching a climbing area. I don’t have the time or opportunity to do any of those things regularly enough to stay in shape that way. Running can be done on a local greenway or in the neighborhood where I work during lunch or around the house or at the local school track for a short period of time about three times a week, or simply, where and when I have time.
The questions that occurred to me were the following:
What is the difference in desire and motivation? Do desire and motivation overlap, and if so, at what points?
I start with definitions, not because I have no more creativity or original thoughts, but because many words and ideas have become confused, switched, and overlapped when they are actually distinct. For example, we say, “I feel guilty”, when guilt is a judicial problem, not a feeling. In reality, we should say, “I feel shame” about my guilt. I can almost feel some people’s response: “You know what is meant. What’s the big deal?” Well, guilty feelings, shame, may or may not follow guilt. Understanding the difference between a legitimate or false feeling and legitimate or false problem helps one to see the way forward in resolving either or both. If the problem is guilt, one needs to seek out forgiveness. If the problem is shame apart from unforgiven guilt, one needs to accept forgiveness already tendered, and forgive self. (1)
Desire is a longing or craving. Motivation is an incentive or drive.
So, it seems reasonable to say that desire is a feeling and motivation is a compelling cause behind the feeling. Where it seems to get complicated or confused is the source of the motivation. Feelings are internal, but motivation can be either internal or external. For example, running with others is clearly an external motivation. However, is it driven by a feeling or an internal motivation? Fear of being alone or desire to be with others are feelings, but they are also motivators because they push one to do certain things. But this just reversed the cause and effect in that now feeling is driving the motivation.
Desire can be an internal motivation, but so may cold logic about what is beneficial. And there may be a feedback loop where a desire causes a motivation and a motivation causes a desire. This feedback loop may be positive, more motivation produces more desire produces more motivation, etc. Or it may be negative in that a certain desire kills motivation which kills desire, etc.
It is at this point that the confused or credulous reader might ask what the usefulness of this mental exercise has been. If you know what motivation, internal or external is behind your desire, or conversely what desire is behind your motivation, you may be able to substitute other motivations or desires to change a negative feedback loop into a positive one.
For example, perhaps you are in the “Exercise Protection Program” as a friend of mine likes to say. The thought of exercise demotivates you. You consider all of the downsides of exercise: sweating, soreness, time, effort, ability deficiency. That kills any desire you have to exercise. If instead, you could focus on upsides of exercise: cardiovascular fitness, strength and coordination gains, body purifying aspects, goals you may set, good changes to your body you will observe. That grows you desire to exercise. Realizing even a few of the benefits further increases you desire, which is a further motivator to continue.
Which one comes first, desire or motivation? Some external push, a motivator, might get you started trying to learn a new skill like playing the guitar. But would you have begun if it did not touch on a desire you had to grow in that area or in general? Conversely, some internal pull, a desire, grows within you to stop, for example, speeding on the highway. Would you have that desire if you had not been motivated by hearing of a wreck or ticket or moral imperative to obey the law?
My intermediate conclusion to this discussion is that motivations include all external and internal influences. Desires are those types of motivations that are internal and sometimes first causes. (2) We can interject motivations that will change our course. Surround yourself with people who will cheer you one, or focus on outcomes that are beneficial, or pursue diligence until you acclimate to the desire for the activity. These are ways you may interject new energy into your desires and motivations.
- Sometime my examples or asides become the focus because a full explanation is needed for them to make sense. So much for brevity, conciseness, and clarity.
- THE First Cause of all things is God, but here I mean a first cause within the individual that comes from the will of that person unprovoked by outside influences. I do not here refer to moral freedom. I believe we have moral freedom, but there is a problem. Our natures are totally depraved. We always choose what we want to do, but our choice apart from the Holy Spirit of God is always wrong and in rebellion against God, since our nature compels us to do wrong. God, being totally sovereign rules over all outcomes and inputs, and we as moral agents work within the framework of His will and purpose.
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CreatorWorship 
Moving Forward
Posted in Assurance, Civil Debate, Consequences, Cultural commentary, Faith, General, God Thoughts, Gospel, Implications, Sermon, Society, tagged bible, Blessed, Blessedness, Charlie Kirk, christianity, Faith, God, Jesus, Persecution, Results of Persecution, Sermon on the Mount on September 17, 2025| Leave a Comment »
I avoid political comment or commentary on this blog, but Charlie Kirk’s death is not primarily or most essentially a political assassination. His was a death (1) for his faith and the boldness with which he proclaimed the truth of God’s Word and power of Christ to save those who will turn from their wickedness to trust in the finished work of Christ on the cross and in His resurrection. This past Sunday, my pastor preached on how the Beatitudes of Matthew 5 apply to this and other situations of persecution. You can hear the sermon at “The True Meaning of the Blessed Life”. Without fully reviewing or summarizing the sermon, I want to point out three ideas that he communicated about the text, Matthew 5:1-12.
Firstly, he pointed out that the word “blessed” that Jesus spoke to His Jewish hearers would be understood to mean a “spiritual well-being growing out of a close relationship with God resulting in a happiness and settled nature in the recipient.” This is not prosperity gospel; it is peace and joy in knowing God.
Secondly, verses 3-9 about what blessedness looks like will result in verses 10-12, persecution. I add that Paul said, “all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” (2) Therefore, Peter explains that since you do not do their sinful deeds, “In all this, they are surprised that you do not run with them into the same excesses of dissipation, and they malign you.” (3) On the other hand, “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you.” (4). Persecution for doing what is right is to be expected.
Lastly, my pastor began listing some of the benefits of persecution even in the face of its horrors and difficulty. He seemed to have perhaps four or five items on his list, but he went on to list many more from which I made the following list:
Persecution brings
In all of these encouragements I have realized another most obvious result which Peter says most clearly, “If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.” (4) The reason for the 16 things above in the life of individuals and the Church is the presence of God. I do not desire persecution to come, but God will bless us as believers when it does- all glory be to Him. May God give us zeal through the loss of this brother in Christ to raise up many more like him, bold to proclaim truth.
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