Motives. Heart attitudes. These are the things that God has been challenging me about lately. The last week-and-a-bit have consisted of intense inner battles.

“God, I want to give up!”

“No, my child. You must persevere!”

“But God, what’s the point?”

“Child, are you truly committed to the vision I have given to you? Are you taking steps of obedience because you love Me or because you stand to gain something from it? When things don’t go your way, will you glorify Me still?”

(Ouch.)

Hebrews 10:36 says, “You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised.”

I want a pure heart, a heart that longs to do my Father’s will. So I’ll keep on fighting. I will not give up. Despite the obstacles in my way. Despite the seemingly impossible task that lies ahead. Despite the fact that, some days, I am at the end of myself.

The end of myself is the beginning of Him. And I want more of Him, don’t I?

(Do you ever have these kinds of discussions with God?)

One last thought: Our pure-hearted obedience brings God the greatest glory of all. He uses people who have surrendered themselves to Him.

I will persevere.

“Strip down, start running—and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins. Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he’s there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls! ” (Hebrews 12:1-3, The Message)