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What do you know about intentional living? What is living with intent? Intent: to be focused on an outcome. To be focused on an objective. Intending that something happen. When I get into my car I am intending to arrive somewhere else. When I start a home improvement project I am intending to improve my home. Well that was my objective anyway.
I did not invent this idea of intentional living. I was introduced to it by a pastor friend of mine who was determined to evangelize as many young people as he could. He then wanted to disciple them onto spiritual maturity. Every thing he did in his pastoral work was to move in that direction. His objective was to help a large group of young people become grounded in God's word and living intentional lives themselves.
Mike, my friend did not invent this idea either. He learned it out of a book written by another pastor. I do not know his name but that is not important to this article. It is not important because I know the source of his book, the writings of the Apostle Paul.
1 st Corinthians 9:24-27
24 Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win.
25 Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.
26 Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air;
27 but I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.
What Paul is describing here is an intentional life. Just as an athlete trains for a long time with the intent to run the race to win, Paul is saying he does the same, runs in such a way, as not without aim. His aim was to win hearts to Christ. Paul had a very specific intent for his life, ours not so much. But we can approach it with the same intensity. Having intent to accomplish the objective with which Christ has given us to do. We can give it the intensity of an athlete when training is focused on winning the prize.
Within the realm of Searchwarp, our intent is to produce a good readable article that will when read leave a reader glad that they had taken the time to do so. We create a title and introduction that capture the reader's attention. We fill the body paragraphs with information that supports why we wrote the article. In the conclusion paragraph we sum up and maybe even answer a question.
In the working world, most of us have the intent to make more money and gain higher promotions. We want to gain better skills and obtain more knowledge to just that end, to move up the latter of success. Apply this same analogy to our spiritual lives, that intenseness of an athlete, we seek a greater knowledge of Jesus and we grow spiritually. We become more useful to Christ Jesus.
Having the gift of evangelism, I apply intensity to building relationships with people. I try to focus on what is going on in their lives. I see where I can be a benefit to them rather than what is in it for me. The objective of the relationship is to not only create a friendship but also a disciple of Jesus. This does not happen over night. Good, strong, trusting relationships take time and effort to build. I make relationships a priority and a focus in my life. Thus I am able to communicate the hope I have and where it comes from.
Living intently is simply making one thing a priority and focusing everything you do to that end. I affect every area of my life and make them better by building strong relationships with others. I am running this race called life with the intention of winning.
HI Mr. Rick, what an encouraging article!! Very well-written. You have come a long way in a short time. Lord Bless you--keep writing, I am encouraged!!
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