The song is about complacency and a desire to "break free from the average, ordinary, lukewarm Christian life",[1][2] and was inspired by a June 2007 column that West wrote for CCM Magazine.
I think one of the greatest challenges in actively living out a relationship with Christ on earth is to avoid the trap of simply going through the motions ...
The song was originally inspired by a column that Matthew West wrote in the "Writer's Block" portion of CCM Magazine.
During part of 2007, West was a contributing columnist to the magazine, primarily discussing the details and method of his songwriting.
[7] On April 16, West played "The Motions" at the Vanderburgh County Right to Life event, which was attended by Michael Steele and guest speaker Sarah Palin.
[6] A campaign website was created in promotion of the song, which includes a section where listeners submit "Motions Resolutions".
Jesus Freak Hideout's review noted that the song caused his album, Something to Say, to be "anything but a buffet of the 'same old stuff'.