BEING INTENTIONAL

“Most people want to hear or tell a good story. But they don’t realize they can and should be the good story. That requires intentional living. It is the bridge that crosses the gap to a life that matters.” – John Maxwell.

God is intentional, and He has called us to be the same. Being intentional is the key to accomplishing the right goals and living out our purpose. Living intentionally means doing things on purpose. For a Christian, living intentionally means becoming more like Jesus, which is not an easy task.

So why do we sometimes struggle to live intentionally? One reason is we don’t know who we are in Christ. Yes, that sounds a little philosophical, but think about it briefly. Identity is who you are. It is what you tell people you are. It is what you believe in your heart about yourself and have accepted about yourself. Striving to live for Him, glorifying His name, and walking out His purposes means your identity is rooted in who He says you are. If you want to live intentionally, we need to know God and let Him teach you who you are through His word.

You can’t live out God’s purpose for your life if you are running from Him or keeping Him at arm’s distance. Perhaps you know Him, but you choose to ignore His voice. You cannot live intentionally this way.  You can’t live intentionally listening to popular culture. In simple terms, culture is how a Christian relates to and interacts with society. Evidences of culture are all around us. The clothes we wear, what we watch and listen to, what we eat, how we think, what we read, and who we admire are just a few of the manifestations of culture. The implication for Christians is clear and challenging. Christians cannot simply uncritically absorb the culture in an attempt to be seen as relevant and calm because that could mean forsaking their responsibility to be “the salt of the earth.” Jesus’ call for us to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world means that we can’t simply condemn culture and withdraw from it. We must live in a culture and under God. The goal is to learn to distinguish our cultural tendencies from biblical truths.

If you want to live intentionally, pursue God every day. Psalm 16:8 says, “I keep my eyes always on the LORD. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken” (NIV). Keep your eyes on God and look to Him for direction. Stay in His word. He will show you the way. Be purposeful and deliberate in your pursuit of God.

Life is filled with ups and downs, and our hearts must be constantly renewed and transformed to be like Christ’s. However, if we welcome God to transform us even when it’s hard, we will be on the right path to living an intentional life.

Discussion Questions:

1. Being intentional means knowing who you are, whose you are, why you’re here, where you’re going, and how to get there. Do you agree or disagree, and why?
2. What would it look like to practically pursue God’s purpose for your life daily?