On Being Intentional
Too many things in our lives just happen – we don’t plan for them, we don’t anticipate them, we don’t even want some of them, they just happen. Even things that are part of our regular routine have a degree of ambiguity about them. We know that we have to show up at work at a certain time but then what? We don’t know – we just react to whatever crosses our path.
And that’s often how we live life – unintentionally. Life just happens and we react to it.
Sure there will always be a degree of uncertainty in life. You can’t plan for every event, especially when you depend on other people. But what about the areas of life where you have a choice? What about the areas under your control? Things like – oh, let’s say encouraging someone, or showing kindness, or helping someone.
Here’s my suggestion – as Christians let’s begin to live life intentionally. I think this is the point of scripture that is often missed. When the Bible tells us to be something or to do something the idea is that we have to intentionally plan to be/do that thing. The “one another” passages of the Bible come to mind:
Serve one another – Galatians 5:13
Be kind and compassionate to one another – Ephesians 4:32
Comfort one another – 1 Thessalonians 4:18
Love one another – John 13:34
Pray for one another – James 5:16
Care for one another – 1 Corinthians 12:25
Build up one another – 1 Thessalonians 5:11
Forgive one another – Ephesians 4:32
These passages, and others, take for granted that we are being intentional in the way we live. It’s difficult to do any of these things without some forethought and planning on our part. I think that God wants us to live intentional Christian lives.
How would your life change if you became more intentional? If you planned to encourage someone today instead of waiting until the opportunity presented itself? If you planned to serve someone even if they haven’t expressed a need? If you planned to love someone even if you don’t see any specific reason other than that God put them in front of you today? More importantly how would the lives of other people be affected if you became more intentional?
God is a God of the intentional. He plans and He acts according to His plan. As His people we also need to be intentional. We need to plan how we will express His love to others in concrete, specific, intentional ways.
CREDIT: https://pastorsteve51.wordpress.com/2013/07/29/on-being-intentional/#comment-524
