7 Ways To Love One AnotherSample

Day 5: Love One Another With Intentionality

Jennifer is really good at getting things done. She has her long-range goals broken down into smaller steps. She has a task list that she diligently follows for the important tasks of the day, the week and even ways to prepare for the upcoming month. 

There’s a phrase in U.S. secular culture called “setting your intention.” The idea is that if you want to accomplish your goals for the day, you should start by saying what matters most out loud or in your head. 

Seeking to be people who love one another in the midst of our differences requires a certain level of intentionality. New habits and patterns don’t just emerge, they’re developed as we put them into practice over and over again.

In 2 Peter 1:5, Peter encourages believers to “make every effort” toward their growth in Christian character. As we seek to love God and people with greater intentionality, we want to practice mindfulness, intentionally stopping and thinking before we do. Mindfulness means realigning our thoughts with God’s truth so that our actions, posture and tone better reflect Christ’s character. 

The kind of love God calls us to requires us to be more mindful of and proactive in our words and actions. It requires intentionally engaging in personal growth as we respond to God’s invitation to know Him, love Him and better reflect His love for others.

Peter’s exhortation to grow in our faith is about being intentional. That means growing in our faith isn’t something we can delay until we’re less busy. We’re supposed to be intentional, building on what we’ve already experienced. Intentionality means that we’re actively pursuing opportunities to grow so that we begin to look and act more like Christ.

It isn’t easy to let go of what you want. It isn’t comfortable. Sometimes it feels physically hard to follow God’s intention. But it’s not about what you want, or your intentions or even how you feel. Following God is about what He wants, how He’s transforming you and how He’s using you to participate in the transformation of your family and communities.

Questions for Reflection: 

• Where does God want to “set your intentions” today as you seek to become more like Jesus? 
• What’s one area you’ve put off that you can begin to pursue intentional growth in now? 
• What are some steps (e.g. setting aside time for personal reflection, finding an accountability partner, etc.) you can take today to grow in this area?