Intentional is an adjective that means “done on purpose; deliberate” according to the dictionary. Remember your English grammar, adjectives describe nouns. To be intentional needs a noun with it. What noun will you put with intentional? Today I am adding in love and discussing how we need to be intentional in love.

Intentional requires thinking, planning, acting on some things and not acting on other things, starting, stopping, finishing, beginning, and numerous other things. Begin by being intentional in love.

Why is learning to be intentional so important?

What is really going on that has made intentional a buzz word? Numerous people have selected it as their word of the year (If you are one of those people, that is great.) Why do we need to be reminded to be intentional? We forget what we were to be doing. We ignore things because it is difficult or time-consuming. Could it be that we begin and lose focus? We get busy and forget what we thought at one time was important. Maybe it is because we are living life on auto-pilot. Are we just too busy and not focusing on what is important?

Now, let’s make it a bit more personal. Instead of just out there let’s each look without ourselves. I challenge you as you begin to think about being intentional that you look in your own life and understand what needs to change. Real change is going to come when we look within and begin to understand what is happening. Why do you need to learn to be intentional?

The place to begin being intentional is your love for God and for others. When you have this as the foundation then other intentional living can follow.

 The Foundation

I remember the 9-21 Earthquake in Taiwan. At 1:47 am I was jolted awake and learned that my building had a solid foundation because the building was still standing and there were no major cracks. A 7.3 earthquake will reveal the strength and stability of the foundations. Just as buildings need a strong foundation so does the character that you are working to develop.

The foundation for Be Intentional in Love must be God and the Bible. Anything less than that will just crumble away when it is tested or rocked. As you begin learning to be intentional in love, you need a solid foundation.

Since God is the foundation of our love, what do you know about God’s love? What words would you use to describe God’s love? I have listed some below:

• Sacrificial
• Eternal
• Unconditional
• Generous
• Giving
• Forgiving
• Active
• Life-giving

Do you have other words to add to this list?

Because God loves us, we can love God and others. You need to have a firm foundation for love and that comes from God’s love. You need to know how much God loves you. If you are struggling to know this, read the Bible, talk with Christian friends about how they know God’s love, pray to ask God to show his love to you more and more.

Be Intentional in Love for God

Repeatedly in the Bible, the command is given to “Love the Lord your God.” Jesus says that this is the most important commandment.

If you have to choose one area to be intentional in, then choose to love God. If you love God, truly love God, it will spill into other relationships, decisions you need to make, the way you use your time, and much more of your life.

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.” Deuteronomy 6:5

3 Reasons we are Commanded to Love

How Can you Be Intentional in Love for God?

Being intentional needs to get practical. Being intentional requires you to do something. The things that you do should be in line with your goal. The goal is to know who God is and how he loves you.

• Plan to spend time in His Word for there you will grow to know him.
• Spend time in prayer including listening to God
• Be part of a local church where you can be challenged and encouraged.
• Talk with other Christians. Listen to their stories of knowing God.

Take some time to evaluate your love for God. Are you loving the way you ought to? Is that love evident to others?

Be Intentional in Love for Others

In Luke 10:27 Jesus is responding to the lawyer question regarding who shall inherit eternal life. Jesus gives the command, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.”

Love for God moves us to love others. Loving God is loving others. As you think about how you can be intentional in love, who do you need to show God’s love to?

Are you building and growing relationships with people? This can require time and work but this is what you are called to do.

How can you be intentional in Love for Others?

Love for others needs to be practical. Your actions need to follow your words. Learn how a genuine interest in others. Learn to listen to people. Think about those around you, who can you show God’s love to? How are you building a relationship?

Let’s learn to be intentional in our love for God and for others.

Did you take the time to look within and see what is driving your need to learn to be intentional?

 

This is part of the Learn to Be Instead of Do series.

Learn to Be Intentional