Intentional

Life is a little crazy at my house right now, and honestly, I feel a little overwhelmed by the tasks I have taken on sometimes.  You know how it is, we tend to put on several different hats and try to be the best we can at all of them:  wife, mom, employee, friend, Christian.  Sometimes one hat takes precedence over another because of the phase of life we are in, other times hats get dusty from lack of use.

For the last several years I have set a personal challenge for Lent.  First, let me explain that I don't "do" Lent in the traditional sense.  I don't usually give something up, or avoid meats.  Not because I don't think those are worthy things, but because I chose to focus on something different for Lent.

For me, Lent is a time to focus on who Jesus is and what He has called us to do - Love Him and love others ((Mark 12:30-31).  Jesus spent a great deal of His life here on earth focusing on helping others, loving on others, and teaching them the Truth.  With that in mind I have chosen to spend the 40 days of Lent in acts of service rather than of penance.  Now, I am not saying my way is better than any other way.  But between prayer and service I really feel closer to Him, and isn't that what our goal should always be?  To walk closely with God.

All that being said, this year has been especially difficult for me to stay on task.  The hats that I wear seem to loom large over the day and it is too easy to let them overshadow my relationship with Jesus.  When the pile of dishes in the kitchen sink loom, (which is bad enough but imagine not being able to find ONE clean coffee cup!!!) and the task list is so long I can't find the end of it, it is so easy to "put off" my private study and prayer time, "just for a little while".  After all, God understands.

The problem is, He does.  He understands that I am allowing the things of the world to replace Him, (1 John 2:15) and that saddens Him.  (Ezekiel 18:21-23)  This Lent season I am learning to be intentional.  I have to be intentional about the task I have prayed about and embarked upon for this Lent season.  I must be intentional about keeping God before me (Exodus 20:3).  I need to be intentional about imitating Jesus in my life (1 John 2:6).  It's not an easy task, and it is one that I find I have to focus on daily, sometimes minute by minute.  But I know first hand that the time I spend focused on Jesus is NEVER wasted - and everything else still gets done.  :)




If you are interested in my Lent challenge, you can find out more here.  

*originally published at Coffee with Christ