Ready for Life Ministries

Ready for Life Ministries Spiritual Exercise #2

Determining Levels of Motivation to Help Achieve Perfect Love

The design of this exercise is to help you become more aware of your motivations so that you can address the areas of your life that aren't motivated by service or love for God, i.e. motivations rooted in fear, selfishness, etc. 

Below are the 9 levels of spiritual motivation. Levels 1-7 come from Benedictine spirituality, and we added levels 0 and 8.

0) No concern for the afterlife, heaven or hell

1) Fear of condemnation (going to hell)

2) Fear of breaking laws

3) Fear of breaking social norms

4) Serving oneself (self-care & self-satisfaction

5) Serving others

6) Achieving salvation (going to heaven)

7) Serving God out of pure love for God

8) ∞ - Infinite possibilities

Assess all the areas of your life—family, friends, work, community service, etc. Determine motivations driven by fear, service (and service of whom both directly and indirectly), and pure love for God. Also assess how the 7 Deadly Sins may intertwine in the motivations within the various areas of your life. If you’re a practicing Christian, level 0 can be omitted. Level 8 can also be omitted for now.

Please come up with a detailed written response of your assessments. The response is for your eyes only, and they're to ensure that everything is thoroughly addressed. Again, you’re highly encouraged to be in a state of grace when going through this exercise and to receive spiritual direction after going through it to ensure that you're being guided by the Holy Spirit. Below are some examples within each level of motivation.

1) Fear of condemnation (going to hell)

• I avoid breaking the 10 commandments because I don't want to be damned.

• I go to church because I believe doing so will keep me from going to hell.

2) Fear of breaking laws

• I go the speed limit because I don't want to get a ticket (as opposed to keeping the speed limit out of safety for others or to maintain the equity of the law).

• I pay my taxes because I fear the consequences of the IRS (as opposed to maintaining the equity of the law).

3) Fear of breaking social norms

• I received the COVID vaccine because everyone else did, even though I didn't really want it.

• I don't talk about religion because I'm afraid the topic will offend others.

• I do things that my spouse wants me to, despite my reservations of their questionable ethics.

4) Serving oneself (self-care & self-satisfaction)

• I exercise regularly, diet well, and rest enough.

• One or more of the 7 Deadly Sins affect me:

  • Pride: I enjoy indulging in pleasures without regard for the consequences they have on myself or others;

  • Envy: Speaking ill of others gives me self-satisfaction;

  • Wrath: Exploding at others relieves my temper;

  • Lust: I enjoy sexual pleasures outside their proper context;

  • Gluttony: I seek pleasure in consuming healthy goods in excessive amounts;

  • Greed: I seek pleasure in riches and security; and/or

  • Sloth: I enjoy unproductive, unrestful activities 

5) Serving others

• I volunteer at church to help the youth.

• I serve my family members out of love and duty.

6) Achieving salvation (going to heaven)

• I try to follow all of Jesus’ commandments so that I may go to heaven.

• I try to become the best version of myself so that I may obtain the glory of heaven.

7) Serving God out of pure love for God

• I follow all of God’s commandments not for the sake of obtaining heaven but because I know it pleases Him.

• I share the Gospel with everyone I meet because I love God and I know it pleases Him that I try to share His salvation with others.

8) ∞ - Infinite possibilities

• Jesus’ passion, death, and resurrection

• The lives of the prophets and saints

Here you can find a printer-friendly copy of Ready for Life Ministries Spiritual Exercises #1-2.

If you have questions, comments, or concerns about these exercises, please email Info@ReadyforLifeMinistries.org.

Spiritual Exercise #1: Identifying Major Obstacles to Greater Interior Freedom and Spiritual Vision

Spiritual Exercise #2: Determining Levels of Motivation to Help Achieve Perfect Love

Spiritual Exercise #3: Gospel Meditation of the Rich Young Man

Spiritual Exercise #4: Gospel Meditation of Jesus’ Crucifixion and Death

Spiritual Exercise #5: Meditation of Encountering God at His Throne