rick warrens daily hope new banner may 2022

No More Mixed Motives
By Rick Warren

“I am not trying to do what I want, but only what he who sent me wants.” John 5:30 (GNT)

What motivates you to get up in the morning? To go to work? To study hard? To serve and give and love others? To keep going when life gets stressful?

If you don’t want to be fighting stress all the time, you need to know your deepest motivation.

Why is that? Because mixed motivations will leave you feeling like you’re being pulled in different directions. Jesus said, “No one can serve two masters” (Luke 16:13 NLT).

Even God can’t please everybody. When somebody’s praying for it to rain, someone else is praying for it to be sunny. As a pastor for 42 years, I knew that I was always disappointing somebody, because people often have different expectations. I can’t please everyone, and neither can you.

The Bible says the fear of man is a trap. It will capture your heart and mind and cause you to stumble. That’s why Jesus said in John 5:30, “I am not trying to do what I want, but only what he who sent me wants” (GNT). Jesus knew who he was trying to please.

If you’re not trying to please God, then in all likelihood, you’re trying to please a bunch of people. It’s a lot easier and less stressful to decide you’re going to please God—because whatever you do that pleases God will always be the right thing. This is why Jesus was so stress resistant. He was only trying to please one person.

Whose approval are you depending on for your happiness? Who are you still trying to please? For some, it’s a parent who never showed approval or encouragement. For others, it may be a boss who’s impossible to please, no matter how hard you try.

But you are not a victim. You are as free as you choose to be. Nobody can pressure you into meeting their expectations without your permission.

When you live for an audience of one, you won’t be controlled by the fear of rejection. Instead, you’ll be motivated by love and free to be the person God made you to be.

PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick

For more Daily Hope with Rick Warren, please visit pastorrick.com!


Unshakable Bible study rick warren daily hope offer

Get Equipped to Face Life’s Challenges with Faith!

Life throws a lot at us these days. And it’s clearer than ever that we need to equip ourselves with biblical wisdom—because only God’s Word gives us the power we need to handle whatever comes our way.

That’s why Pastor Rick created the Unshakable Bible study.

The Unshakable Bible study is our thanks for your support to help take Daily Hope to more people around the world.

So request your copy below when you give—and get equipped to face any challenge with faith!

*The USA IRS code permits you to deduct the amount of your financial gift to Daily Hope that exceeds the fair market value of materials you received from Daily Hope.

This devotional © 2018 by Rick Warren. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

You can listen to Rick Warren on OnePlace.com.