MOTIVATION
We often mention the word “motivation”, and in church environment, the word “motivation” is associated with ministry or following to the Lord Jesus. We must deal with purity of service motivation, because it is truly related to selling the name of Jesus. Motivation comes from the Latin word “movere”, which means to move. The word “movere” gives a clear impression or pointing something that is active, dynamic, and can also indicate something that is developing or progressive. Etymologically (the origin of the word); the word “motivation” comes from the word motive, which means encouragement, will of reason, or will. So motivation is the forces that awaken and move the individual’s behavior.
Motivation is not a behavior, but a complex internal condition, and cannot be observed directly. However, motivation affects a person’s behavior. That is why, we can see a person’s motivation based on his behavior. In the Great Dictionary of Indonesian Language, describes that motivation is the impulse that arises in a person consciously, or not, to perform an action with a specific purpose. This description is similar with the understanding of motivation mentioned above if viewed from the etymology, namely movere.
With this explanation, it can be concluded that, motivation refers to an attitude of heart, which results in an impulse to do something concretely. That is why, it can be said that motivation determines the strong or weakness of behavior, or movement to achieve goals in order to meet a need. Basically, motivation arises because of human needs, which must be met. The author of a book on motivation says about motivation as follows: Motivation is a driving force that results in an organizational member are willing to mobilize the ability in the form of skills, energy, and time, to organize various activities, that are his responsibility, and fulfill his duties, in order to achieve a goal.
Parallel to the expression of the above statement, other authors say that motivation is a process to activate motives into actions, or behavior, to meet the needs and achieve goals. The motive in question is, the power within a person that drives him to do something. In his phrase, he would like to emphasize that motivation is a process that moves an activity or project, in order to achieve a certain goal by giving birth, or creating other motives as its supporters. With regard to the goal to be achieved in motivation, another author of a book on motivation from the West says, that motivation is a change of energy in a person, characterized by the emergence of a sense and response to the existence of a goal.
Furthermore, he argues that motivation is highly correlated with objectives. If there is no motivation, then the goal becomes unclear. Here, it is true that motivation is a driving force of a person toward a goal. This phenomenon is confirmed by the opinion of thinkers named Callahan and Clark, that motivation is a driving force or a trigger that causes a behavior toward a certain goal. So speaking of the purity of motivation, a child or a servant of God should have it in the church of God. There is no other motivation in our lives, except to know Him and serve Him unlimitedly. Beyond this, it will mean rebellion, and towards destruction in eternal fire.
In order to have a right motivation, a person must have a complete picture of God’s truth. The complete picture builds his way of thinking. This way of thinking is the determinant of the contents of his life motivation. There is no true motivation in this life, other than worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only (Luke 4: 5–8). This definition is also parallel to the other statement of the Lord Jesus in John. 4:34: ” My food, is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to finish His work”.
