When You Can’t Find Your Want-To

“Dear friends, you always followed my instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away, it is even more important. Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.” ‭‭Philippians‬ ‭2:12-13‬ ‭NLT

I don’t know about you, but sometimes my struggle begins with just wanting to do the right thing. I can correctly assess the situation. I see what it is that I need to do, the person I need to speak with, the action that I need to take, but then I feel stuck and like failure is my future. I just can’t seem to make myself want to take the next step. Does that ever happen to you?

Years ago I discovered this verse and it was like an electric current of motivation. I realized that I don’t have to find the want-to when it comes to doing what is right. Just like every other important thing in life, all I need to do is rely on God. I hear you. “What are you talking about?”, you say. Let me show you. 

The verse that flipped the switch for me is this one, Philippians 2:13: For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.” ‭‭Philippians‬ ‭2:12-13‬ ‭(NLT) The apostle Paul is writing a letter to his friends in Philippi. That was the Roman city flooded with multi-God worship where an earthquake opened up jail cells, set Paul and his buddy, Silas, free and sparked a tsunami of salvation. Paul is thanking his friends for a gift that they sent him to take care of his needs while he is under house arrest and encouraging them in their walk with Christ while he is at it. This verse made it clear to me, and probably to them as well, that I don’t need to dig up the motivation to do what is right. If I can’t discover the desire, then I can ask for it. The want-to may not be with-in me, but I can ask and receive it without any shame and without waiting. 

What is Paul saying to his friends, and to you and me? “Don’t give up doing what is right. Keep going, working hard, obeying God. There is opposition. There are outside influences trying to draw you away from following God that seem stronger now that I am not with you. But in the midst of all the opposition and distraction, there is still a deep desire within you to obey God and that doesn’t come from you.” He understands that they feel like they are struggling uphill with a strong wind working to push them back down. Paul is encouraging them to keep pushing forward against the resistance from without, and from within. He reminds them that the reason they want to follow God is because God Himself has given them that desire. 

Here’s the thing, my friend. Just like the Philippians, you and I are able to follow through on that desire to please God because God is the one who will help us follow through on it. He is at work in us, even though we feel resistance from outside and inside, even though we feel like our motivation to move forward has made an exit. God is the one who gives me the want-to and the power to do what pleases Him. I don’t have to play hide and seek with motivation. I can ask for the desire and the ability to do what I need to. 

If you find yourself struggling to do what is right, but you still have the desire, then understand this: God put in the want-to and will give you the power to do what pleases Him. Will you let Him help you actually do it? 

God didn’t get us going and then leave us alone to white-knuckle our way through life. He gave us His guidelines for a God-pleasing life, provided us the aspiration to pursue them and then He empowers us to actually act. You may feel like you can’t win, but that is actually the opposite of what is going on with you. You are in a win-win situation! You win because God empowers you, God wins because He gets the glory as you live in a way that pleases Him. He leads us from victory to victory! His victory. What is victory when it comes to the Christian life? A life that pleases God. What is your victory in the midst of your struggle to find motivation? You move forward and live in a way that pleases God. He gives you the want-to and the power to do what pleases Him. A perfect win!

God is working in you. You may not be able to recognize His work, Dear Friend, but remain confident of this. God is at work in you and will continue to be at work in you until the day you take your final breath or Jesus returns. He will NEVER give up on you. In the middle of the storm of pressure from the culture you live in, God is still at work. When you can’t discover your motivation, rely on the truth that He is putting it in You and ask Him to help you find it. 

God is the One who has given you the desire to follow Him. Isn’t that an amazing thing?! Somehow, even our desire to follow God originates with Him. You want to follow God, but feel like you are always faltering and failing. Take heart. That want-to comes from Him and He follows through on everything that He starts. You aren’t in this life-journey alone. Every next right step starts with and ends with God Himself. How’s that for a powerful partner?

God is giving you the power to live for Him. Jesus said that He would not leave His followers alone. He promised them power from on high. (John 14: 15-19; Luke 24:49) The power to please God is the job of the Holy Spirit. You don’t have to find the strength within yourself. In fact, you can’t. You don’t have the power to live for God on your own, and neither do I. The power to please God comes from God Himself. Rest in that. He will not let you fail. Period.

When I find myself struggling simply to want to, I remember this truth: God is working in me, God is the one who has given me the desire to follow Him, and God is giving me the power to live for Him. If God is for me and with me, what else do I need? 

God is for you and with you, Dear Friend. What else do you need?

Key Thought: God gives us the want-to and the power to live in a way that pleases Him. 

A Scripture to consider: “Dear friends, you always followed my instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away, it is even more important. Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.” ‭‭Philippians‬ ‭2:12-13‬ ‭NLT

A YES challenge: In what area of your life do you feel like you just can’t win and motivation to move forward is missing? Take some time in prayer to invite God into that place and determine to let Hm empower you to succeed. Consider memorizing Philippians 2:13 as a motivator. 

Prayer: Lord, I really want to live in a way that pleases You, but I often feel like I am failing at it and can’t find the motivation to take the next right step. Help me to remember that You gave me the desire to do what pleases You and You will also give me the power to actually do it. Help me to remember that I am not alone in living for You. You are with me. Help me to do this with You, not just for You. Amen.