Intentional Living

One of Stephen Covey’s 7 Habits of Highly Effective People is: “Be Proactive.” Without
a conscious decision to live our lives with purpose – and a stubborn ‘take-charge’
mentality – we end up continually reacting to the crowd. Conformity and rebellion are
the two sides of a reactive life. True freedom from the push and pull of what others want
can only be found when we choose to be proactive and chart our own course.

Deciding to follow Jesus rather than conforming to the world, takes courage. We must
be willing to make unpopular choices even when this means facing great opposition.

Living a life of purpose requires regular times of prayerful reflection. We must slow
down the hectic pace of life and evaluate the choices we are making. Just because
something has always been done a certain way isn’t reason enough to continue doing it
the same way. Too often well-meaning people lose sight of the bigger picture. We can
become convinced that we must continue down the path we are on because we see no
other options; or we can flounder aimlessly living day to day without a clear sense of
mission or purpose. God’s Word reminds us that life must be lived consciously, with a
sense of direction: “Without a vision people parish.” (Hosea 6:8)

Research reveals that even the most intentionally proactive people only control about
50% of their waking time. So… don’t be discouraged when distractions and unforeseen
circumstances seem to get you off track. “The mind of man plans his way, but the Lord
directs his steps.” (Proverbs 16:9)

While we all want to be focused and effective, we Christians also desire to please God
above self. We must give ourselves fully to Christ if we are to accomplish His intentions.
All things will indeed work together for our good as we trust Jesus; yet it’s still up to us to find our center, live out our callings with passion, and thoughtfully chart out our lives in God’s presence. Christ died to free us from the need to please others and from fear. He paid the price for our sins, offering us new life in him that we might become the
righteousness of God.

Let’s follow Jesus into the freedom of forgiveness, the wonder of his divine love, and the
abundant life he offers. Live your life with intention and become all God intended you to
be!

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About Bill Kuntz

Christian Life Coach and psychologist, husband to Wanda, dad to Kathy and Kristy, adopted son to God. I enjoy writing and blogging. My new passion is writing and speaking to inspire others to be all that God made them to be. I work with couples, families, and individuals (particularly young adults and adolescents) in my psychotherapy practice. As a life and leadership coach, I specialize in assisting pastors discern God's highest calling and to achieve high goals without sacrificing connections with family and friends. Please call if you or someone you care about needs counseling or coaching. My phone number is 314-647-4695.

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