I’ve noticed in the last few years that the word “intentional” is a real buzzword in Christian community. I see it used mostly in the context of being in fellowship with other believers, but it’s something that people, especially influencers, like to use to describe their life. Now, I don’t think that this word is overused or misused, but I feel like it isn’t being used to its full extent. When I first had the idea for this post, I wanted to talk about what it means to be intentional in a friendship or in spending time with someone. While doing research, though, this is only the tip of the iceberg. Intentional is not just a word that we should use to describe our relationships with others, but it should define every single thing that we do.
By definition, when something is done intentionally, it is done deliberately and with a purpose. In contrast, being spontaneous is doing something without putting much thought to it prior. This term is used a lot because it explains how we are supposed to live as Christians.
You see, God tells us repeatedly in the Bible that it is not simply what we do that matters, but why we do it. Here are a few verses that stood out to me and really captured what I felt the Lord telling us to do.
“Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established.” (Proverbs 16:3)
“Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.” (1 Corinthians 10:31)
“And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men.” (Colossians 3:23)
All three of these verses are making the point that no matter what we are doing, we should be doing it with the purpose of glorifying God through it. One thing that I especially like about 1 Corinthians 10:31 is that it highlights the things that are ordinary and mundane. Yes, it is true that we should be glorifying the Lord in our big moments and giving those to Him instead of taking it all or ourselves. However, you could actually argue that what is more significant is glorifying God through small things that others would call “meaningless” and “unimportant”. Whether you’re getting ready to head to work, doing the dishes, or finishing that one homework assignment that you’ve been dreading doing, how we address these things is a big testament to our faith.
For me, my natural tendency is to complain, and to make sure that everybody around me is aware of the fact that I don’t want to do it. It feels so much easier to say it, and I even catch myself complaining about something just to make conversation during a dull moment. Looking back at all of these moments, though, I missed so many opportunities to praise God. In these moments, it is so easy to see how much He has blessed us in this path and praise Him for that. When getting ready to go to your job, thank God in the morning that He has provided a job that will help support you and your family. When doing the dishes after eating dinner with your family, thank your parents for always providing food (I need to get so much better with this!). And, when working on homework with friends, remember that you have an education that God has given you, which is something that not all people have.
I find that praising God and thanking Him for all that He has done in your life is an amazing way to acknowledge Him in everything. Not only does it take the attention and glory away from yourself and direct it to the One who made it all happen, it also lifts your spirits. When I’m in a bad mood, it helps to just slow down and look at the Lord’s providence. Right now, I’m sitting at my desk in my room, which is fully furnished and protected from the elements. I just had dinner with my family, and now I have a fun drink beside me as I sit in my comfy sweatpants. I spent so much time playing with my dog today, and I even got to relax on a couch with one of my homemade muffins and some coffee this morning. These things can all seem mundane, and even though none of these things seem inherently amazing, it is so cool to see God’s blessings in each and every one of them.
Now, back to being intentional. You have probably noticed that being intentional with what you do, and how you look at it, helps bring glory to God and changes our perspective on things. Sometimes, being intentional looks like doing something out of your comfort zone because you know that it is what the Lord wants you to do. Other times, being intentional can happen with things that are easy and mundane. Reaching out to that one friend to invite them for coffee to show them love, even though it might be scary to initiate, is just as intentional as folding and putting away the blankets in the living room so that your parents can relax when they get home from work.
It is also important to note that while the Bible has a lot to say about being intentional, there are also warnings about what happens when you don’t live this way. “The thoughts of the diligent tend only to plenteousness; But of every one that is hasty only to want.” (Proverbs 21:5). Diligence is a word that is often used along with the word intentional, because it means to be careful and persistent in what you are doing. While they are not exact words, they are used in the same contexts in the Bible, so it is safe to make devotional applications for this study with this verse.
This verse shows two scenarios: in the first, the person is careful with what they are doing, and has put much thought and effort into their actions. God shows that, in this verse, being intentional and deliberate with what you are doing will reap prosperity, but on the other side is being rash and quick. While being spontaneous is not necessarily a bad thing, there are many times where being hasty and quick to act can cause problems. For one, our emotions can easily get the best of us, and acting on strong emotions can cause us to do things that we normally wouldn’t do. In addition, when we act quickly, we don’t give ourselves time to pray over our decisions or come to God for help on an issue. That time allows us to be in fellowship with God, and allow His character to influence the way that we live. Otherwise, we can hurt others and ourselves, and even worse, we can hurt the way that people see God.
So, if you feel like you want to practice this and see how your life changes by being intentional, I recommend starting with small steps. Start changing the way that you view things in your life, and even when going through your normal daily routine, be aware of how you interact with the world around you. Think about what you are doing, and why you are doing it, and notice your heart attitude to both the big parts of life and the underwhelming. Small steps are the best way to start a habit, because the habit will grow alongside you as you learn and challenge yourself.
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