What Motivates You? For Me, It’s Obedience

A few weeks ago I was in my favorite restaurant talking to the owner. He complimented my family and I thanked him like the proud husband and father that I am.

What Motivates You? Obedience.

Then I said “I’m just a guy who paid attention when the Lord spoke.” He said, “Now that’s profound.” I didn’t think I said anything big, but it is. Why? God is my father. I should be taking instruction, listening to His every Word.

The reason most are not experiencing transformation in their lives right now is because of the refusal to listen to God and the anger that follows their poor decisions. I have went my own way as well, and paid the price every time.

What Motivates You? Hope.

But I am thankful for Jesus and His mercy. So yeah, I was just paying attention, learning and living and loving the family He blessed me with. They are great.

What Motivates You? Prayer.

Father in heaven, You have called us not to wander aimlessly but to walk in the clear path of Your Word. Today I confess that my heart is easily distracted, my will often weak, and my desires pulled in many directions.

Yet, Lord, I know true joy is found in obeying You, not in chasing after my own way. Give me a heart that delights in Your commands, not grudgingly but gladly. Remind me that obedience is not a burden but a blessing, not a chain but a channel of freedom. When I hesitate, stir me with courage; when I resist, soften me with grace; when I falter, lift me with Your mercy.

Let my motivation come not from fear, nor from pride, but from a love so deep that I long to please You in every step I take. Teach me to see obedience as the doorway to intimacy with You and the evidence of a life transformed by Your Spirit. In the name of Jesus Christ, the One who perfectly obeyed, I pray. Amen.

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PastorRickPenn

Pastor Rick Penn is an ordained pastor, writer, and the founder of Get-Prayer.com, a resource built to help believers develop a consistent, grounded prayer life.

With more than 20 years of preaching the Gospel, Pastor Rick brings deep theological training and lived pastoral experience to everything he writes. He holds a Master of Divinity from Virginia University of Lynchburg, an M.A. with a concentration in New Testament Studies from Baptist Bible Seminary, and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Averett University.

His writing reflects a personal commitment to making prayer accessible to everyday Christians. Whether he is writing a prayer for someone in a hospital waiting room, walking through fear about the future, or sitting down with a blank prayer journal for the first time, Pastor Rick writes from a place of both theological grounding and pastoral care.

Pastor Rick hosts In The Moment, a Christian television program airing on Roku through AIM Christian Television. Viewers can watch the show at aimchristian.com/yourmoment and listen as a podcast on Spotify.

Before founding Get-Prayer.com, he served in the U.S. Navy, where he built his communication skills as a writer, editor, and public affairs professional. He now applies those disciplines directly to ministry and teaching.

Every article on this site reflects his core conviction: Prayer is not a performance of faith. It is the daily practice that holds everything else together.

Pastor Rick Penn is the author of all content on Get-Prayer.com.
Rick currently resides in Pennsylvania, where he continues to teach, write, and encourage believers to deepen their walk with God through prayer and the study of Scripture.