I've been in conversations lately about life, and a common theme seems to be the importance of being intentional.
I currently have three verbal agreements with people to become better friends. For two of them, I made simple friendship bracelets. The responses were quite different, but the intentionality of the act was noted in both cases. Because I spend time at Sufficient Grounds on Tuesday and Thursday nights, I have time each week to talk to the third new friend. We spend a few minutes a couple times a week catching up on life, and that works for us.
Today I had lunch with yet another friend. The class we usually have after chapel was cancelled for today, so I decided that lunch was a perfect alternative.
During our conversation, we talked about being intentional. We've both recently realized the need to make an effort to build relationships. We're both fairly shy and introverted people, so this doesn't come naturally. It's a learning experience.
As we explored the subject, he brought up the need to be intentional in our relationship with God. If we don't do anything, the relationship won't grow. And we can't come to God on our own terms. I spent way too much time trying to fit God into my life, when what I really needed to do was submit my life wholly to Him. He gave me my life, so what right do I have to try to hold on to any part of it. What happened on our campus a week ago was not of human planning. I did not choose to be prompted very clearly by the Holy Spirit to confess a very personal sin. I could only choose to say "yes." God wants all of us at all times, not just when it is convenient to us. All things are His, all times are His. But He won't always hit us over the head in such a powerful way. We do need to seek Him and His will. We need to practice the spiritual disciplines of prayer, reading Scripture, fasting, silence before God, etc.
We can't expect relationship (and I use that word generally, please do not infer romance) to just happen whether with God or with humans. It takes work. It takes effort. It takes sacrifice. It takes saying "Hey, do you want to have lunch tomorrow?" It takes asking questions and actually listening and offering suggestions and accepting wise counsel. Relationship takes being intentional.
I currently have three verbal agreements with people to become better friends. For two of them, I made simple friendship bracelets. The responses were quite different, but the intentionality of the act was noted in both cases. Because I spend time at Sufficient Grounds on Tuesday and Thursday nights, I have time each week to talk to the third new friend. We spend a few minutes a couple times a week catching up on life, and that works for us.
Today I had lunch with yet another friend. The class we usually have after chapel was cancelled for today, so I decided that lunch was a perfect alternative.
During our conversation, we talked about being intentional. We've both recently realized the need to make an effort to build relationships. We're both fairly shy and introverted people, so this doesn't come naturally. It's a learning experience.
As we explored the subject, he brought up the need to be intentional in our relationship with God. If we don't do anything, the relationship won't grow. And we can't come to God on our own terms. I spent way too much time trying to fit God into my life, when what I really needed to do was submit my life wholly to Him. He gave me my life, so what right do I have to try to hold on to any part of it. What happened on our campus a week ago was not of human planning. I did not choose to be prompted very clearly by the Holy Spirit to confess a very personal sin. I could only choose to say "yes." God wants all of us at all times, not just when it is convenient to us. All things are His, all times are His. But He won't always hit us over the head in such a powerful way. We do need to seek Him and His will. We need to practice the spiritual disciplines of prayer, reading Scripture, fasting, silence before God, etc.
We can't expect relationship (and I use that word generally, please do not infer romance) to just happen whether with God or with humans. It takes work. It takes effort. It takes sacrifice. It takes saying "Hey, do you want to have lunch tomorrow?" It takes asking questions and actually listening and offering suggestions and accepting wise counsel. Relationship takes being intentional.
1 comment:
agreed. intentionality is definitely a struggle for me. i'm constantly reminding myself that i need to make an effort to be intentional with others. thanks for this reminder! i love that you are pursuing intentionality.
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