What does living intentionally for God really mean? If we are intentional about something it means we are deliberate in our action. We do it on purpose. The opposite would be something unplanned or impulsive. The word “intentional” kept popping into my head recently, but I wasn’t sure why, or what to do with the thought.
Choosing a “Word of the Year”
A bit of background first: Have you heard of choosing a “word of the year”? I saw quite a few blog posts in December on the topic and decided to see what all the hype was about. I had heard about the practice, but couldn’t imagine how using one word for the whole year would be helpful.
What I learned was that you pray and ask God for a guide word for the new year. It’s meant to be a help to you and a source of joy and encouragement. There is no pressure to find a word. It shouldn’t cause you anxiety or worry.
It all sounded good. I prayed a little prayer. Once.
And- nothing.
But then the Christmas season began in full swing, and I was immersed in the season and the celebrating.
After all the hubbub was over, I started back in to finish my blog post “Starting Your New Year Off Right”. While I was editing, I kept thinking of the word “intentional.”
Uh-oh.
I’d brush the thought away and it would come back. What do I need to be intentional about?
And then it slowly dawned on me.
The ideas I came up with for starting my own New Year off right were still dancing about in my head. I hadn’t planned anything concrete. I hadn’t set good goals. Did God sense my wishy-washyness??? (Not a word, I know…)
I believe He did.
An Intentional Life
If He knows the number of hairs on my head, He certainly knows what comes between Him and me. He knows I need to be intentional about starting my New Year right.
There I was, writing it, reading it, and believing how to start my New Year off right. But living it out goes beyond those things. If I was going to change, I needed to take intentional action.
It seems I have a word to guide me in 2020 ♥
I started looking at goals for myself in a new light. I know my shortcomings, and there are definite areas I want to work on. If it’s going to happen, I need to be intentional in making them happen.
That led me to wonder what living intentionally for God daily really looks like.
Living An Intentional Life
In anything we do, if we do it with intention, we are acting on purpose and deliberately. We are making decisions and taking actions that are moving us toward a set goal.
The opposite would be: failing to set goals, simply “going with the flow”, or becoming distracted from your good intentions.
Living intentionally for God involves action with a purpose.
God’s Purpose for Our Life
God has a purpose for our lives. Here are two verses that spell out what our purpose entails:
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.” (Deuteronomy 6:5) It’s how God loves us and it’s his ultimate purpose for us. He wants total love and commitment to him in all aspects of our lives.
”Love the Lord your God. Walk in all His ways. Obey His Laws. Stay close to Him, and work for Him with all your heart and soul.” Joshua 22:5 NLT (I love the “stay close to Him” part♥)
Loving him completely is our purpose. This happens within our family, our jobs, our free time and our achievements. It includes our prayer life, Bible study, personal worship, loving your neighbor, acts of service, etc.
We can incorporate intentional living for God in all aspects of our lives.
Related Post ♥ “Finding Your Purpose in God”
Creating an Intentional Life
This is going to look different for each one of us. He designed each of us uniquely with different gifts and personalities.
He also gave us the gift of choice. Our lives are a constant stream of many choices and decisions. Now, more than ever, choices come at us from all sides to distract us.
Creating an intentional life involves self-reflection and focus. This helps us make better choices on where we need to make changes in our life.
Try grading yourself on how intentional you think you are in living for God.
If you give yourself an A+, try some more introspection. Romans 3:23 NLT: “For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.”
We’re in this together! We all have work to do.
The World’s View of Intentional Living
“Do not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is- his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Romans 12:2
We can’t be transformed in the way God intends when we conform to the world’s view of intentional living. Those strategies include changing your attitude, finding happiness, thinking positive and anything self-focused. Those things by themselves aren’t bad, but as Christians, we pursue a life based on Biblical beliefs.
We transform our thinking to be in union with our Father. Knowing who God is and His word is crucial to our intentional life. Walking with Him means knowing who He is and where He wants us to go.
Pin me for later!
Planning Your Intentional Life
Do you plan meals? An exercise routine? Date nights? Again all good things, but planning wisely isn’t only a worldly endeavor. The Bible tells us that “good planning and hard work lead to prosperity, but hasty shortcuts lead to poverty.” Proverbs 21:5.
Make wise plans to live intentionally but make them with God. After all, “we can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps.” Proverbs 16:9. He is sovereign, after all.
When I live intentionally for God, I give up my own will, refuse to be self-focused, and partner with God to guide my life.
How to Live Intentionally
Ask yourself these two questions:
•Do you truly want to live your life intentionally for God?
•If so, how can you incorporate your desire to live this life into your everyday life?
•Pray and reflect on areas of your spiritual life that you want to work on more closely with God. Maybe your prayer life rocks, but you feel led to work on Bible study, acts of service, or living out the fruits of the Spirit in your relationships (Mom, wife, sister, coworker, etc).
•Do you want to work on your thought life or speech?
• Is there a Bible verse that you want to live out intentionally? For example: “Well done good and faithful servant!” (Matthew 25:23) or “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13)
•Ask Him where He wants you to live intentionally. Then listen. When those words come to you, don’t dismiss them. Pray about them.
•Lastly, form a goal, set a plan, and follow through with the deliberate action.
Benefits of Living an Intentional Life for God
Living intentionally for God may take time and effort, but the rewards are great!
We gain great spiritual strength ( 2 Thessalonians 2: 16-17).
He gives us peace that exceeds anything we can understand in any situation. (Philippians 4:7)
His peace banishes your fears and worries. (John 14:27)
He gives us shelter. (Psalm 91:4)
He promises these things and much more to us! He always keeps His promises; it is His nature! He can’t do otherwise. You can count on Him.
God is our constant, loving companion whether we acknowledge His presence or not. Would you like to spend your days growing in the truth of His immense love for you? He wants to help us on our journey through the gift of the Holy Spirit. We can’t do this completely on our own.
Giving God the Glory
Anything we do can glorify God, whether it is in our home, our job, our car or our church. Our intentional responses to life can give a testimony to His love and presence in our lives.
“And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.” Colossians 3:17
Blessings in the journey!
AnnMarie
I’m getting quite excited about my guiding word for 2020. I have already been convicted quite a few times to use it in my everyday life!
Photo by Porapak Apichodilok from Pexels
I am reading this Dec 27, 2022. You did a wonderful job of explaining how to live intentionally as a Christian. This is my goal for the year 2023. Thank You! I will probably be reading this again to keep me focused on my goal.
I’m so glad you found it helpful! To God be all the glory! I am thankful for your kind and encouraging words. May God bless you richly in 2023 as you work towards living a more intentional life for Him.
I’m reading this in March 2022, knowing that I struggled to find a word for the year. However, in all the ways you described being intentional, I’ve now adopted it myself. This post was beautifully written and I’m so grateful to have found your website when I Googled the word intentional! Blessings 🙏
Wow, Lisa, this is so encouraging! Thanks for commenting- what a great testimony to the ways in which God works in our lives. God bless you on your intentional life this year!
This was beautifully written! I love your idea of having an intentional relationship with God and picking a word of the year. This year seems to have flown by already and last year was so long! I was fortunate enough to get motivated to start my own Christian blog https://sharinglifeandlove.com/. I’d love it if you checked it out! I’m hoping to write awesome content like this. I love how you support your content with the “Benefits” section. I think that’s always valuable in a blog post. Keep up God’s work!! And thank you for sharing!! 🙂 Michele
Thanks so much Michelle! I did check out your website- it’s impressive! You can obviously tell you know what you are doing! I started mine almost 4 years ago, and used WordPress videos to construct it. Turns out they were not that helpful, but God led me to a great blogging teacher who introduced me to SEO and a multitude of other improvements. God has been so faithful- I love my “job.”
Amen !! it is so amazing because I asked God for a word going into 2020. and he gave me the word intention, as she gave u. Ur story is identical to the revelation that God gave me!!
Living intentional !! Purposed for him and doing his well!!
That’s so cool! I love my word from Him- it’s been a great one for me this year. So glad to hear it’s inspiring you too 🙂
Intentional is a great word! I love how God placed it on your heart when you least expected it. My word for the year is “thrive” and I can’t do that if I’m not intentionally living for God 💜
I love your word! It seems so appropriate for you and the job you are doing in teaching and guiding your little ones 🙂 God does have a way of getting my attention, and I get so excited when I slow down and take the time to listen to His promptings.
Living intentionally is the key to doing God’s will in our lives. It is a must for us to be a light for others to see so they can see Jesus through us. Great post AnnMarie
Living intentionally is the key to doing God’s will in our lives. It is a must for us to be a light for others to see so they can see Jesus through us. Great post AnnMarie
I LOVED this – great post. You broke it down so simply and profoundly. Living intentionally is something all Christians should be doing but it’s so easy to be sidetracked and wound up in sort of ‘mindless doing.’ Great ideas and encouragement.
Thanks so much Fleda! I get side tracked easily, and slip back into bad habits. That’s why I love my word “intention.” It’s helping me stay focused on living the way He wants me to.
Love this post Annmarie … and love your word, too. We really do need to be intentional to walk out our love walk with Jesus in His way, don’t we? Otherwise, I find myself floundering around with no strategic purpose. I need to be more intentional this year to be in His Word and care for my health, so I can better care for others. ❤
There are so many areas in my life that I can apply intentionality! The Holy Spirit keeps bringing this word to mind at just the right time and I’m loving it! It’s just the little boost I need to pause and take the appropriate action. Thanks for reading and the kind words, Donna!
Living intentionally for God is so important. To me, that is the foundation for all intentional living.
Couldn’t agree more!
Loved this post today! And I like your word “intentional” It’s really powerful. I’m gonna pray for a word for 2020. (If nothing comes to me, can I borrow yours?😆)
Thanks, Cindy! Of course! I was a bit skeptical about the whole concept, but it has turned out to be really helpful and encouraging to me! Apparently it’s been around for years, but I hadn’t heard of it until very recently. Go for it! 🙂