Unintentional
Something about crisp gray rainy days makes this mind of mine really sharp. Visions are clearer and ideas are louder…it's pretty stinkin' awesome. So on this particularly crisp gray rainy day, I have a thought that must be shared. On my way home from work, a strong and kind of scary word kept popping in my head. There was no elaboration or explanation for a while- it was just a word: unintentional. I rolled the word over in my mind and then said it out loud, confronting it and acknowledging it until it hit me.
In this generation we are so intentional about feeding each and every desire. We are intentional about watching our favorite shows every Tuesday or Thursday (or every day). We are intentional about making sure we are up on our blogs and websites, scrolling endlessly to keep up with people we only know through computer screens. We are intentional about posting photos, commenting on photos and setting up photos. And with all this intentionality, somehow we become undeniably unintentional about our faith. We have our DVR's set so we never ever have to spend a moment without a guilty pleasure television show, but do we have a quiet time set so we don't ever have to spend a morning without the Holy Spirit? We are willing to drive halfway across town to satisfy a craving for something deep fried and delicious- yet our Spirit that is so craving the Word of God is only fed once a week. We know every single word of our favorite rapper's new album and shamefully can only paraphrase a few verses of the Bible… the ugly truth is that we are intentional about satisfying every possible desire in ourselves and have allowed our relationship with the Lord to just be left up to chance; hoping it will find some rain and a patch of sunlight to grow on it's own.
Guys, we are lost. We are self seeking, only existing to satisfy ourselves. So how, then, are we to glorify our Creator? As I bubble over with passion for intentionality I will share that I feel a deep responsibility to call people, including myself, to step up. To make a commitment. To sacrifice and really do this thing. Because at the end of the day, it's what we were created to do. I don't have the answers or the remedy, but I am studying discipline until it is just so deeply woven into me that I don't know anything else. The goal is to be intentional to turn from satisfying our own pleasures in order to line up our desires with His. It's a life long process that is certainly a challenge but man, eventually we have to just jump feet first. So here I go. With both feet in. Will you be intentional with me?
In this generation we are so intentional about feeding each and every desire. We are intentional about watching our favorite shows every Tuesday or Thursday (or every day). We are intentional about making sure we are up on our blogs and websites, scrolling endlessly to keep up with people we only know through computer screens. We are intentional about posting photos, commenting on photos and setting up photos. And with all this intentionality, somehow we become undeniably unintentional about our faith. We have our DVR's set so we never ever have to spend a moment without a guilty pleasure television show, but do we have a quiet time set so we don't ever have to spend a morning without the Holy Spirit? We are willing to drive halfway across town to satisfy a craving for something deep fried and delicious- yet our Spirit that is so craving the Word of God is only fed once a week. We know every single word of our favorite rapper's new album and shamefully can only paraphrase a few verses of the Bible… the ugly truth is that we are intentional about satisfying every possible desire in ourselves and have allowed our relationship with the Lord to just be left up to chance; hoping it will find some rain and a patch of sunlight to grow on it's own.
Guys, we are lost. We are self seeking, only existing to satisfy ourselves. So how, then, are we to glorify our Creator? As I bubble over with passion for intentionality I will share that I feel a deep responsibility to call people, including myself, to step up. To make a commitment. To sacrifice and really do this thing. Because at the end of the day, it's what we were created to do. I don't have the answers or the remedy, but I am studying discipline until it is just so deeply woven into me that I don't know anything else. The goal is to be intentional to turn from satisfying our own pleasures in order to line up our desires with His. It's a life long process that is certainly a challenge but man, eventually we have to just jump feet first. So here I go. With both feet in. Will you be intentional with me?
Here I am with both feet in!! They've been in for a while; and I think many others' are ready to jump in, too, but needed a gentle, loving nudge such as this.
ReplyDeleteI have also felt this tug at my heart. Thanks for leading the way on challenging me, and others, to live better!
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