INTENTIONAL LIVING

Flee! There’s something about Paul’s use of this word in today’s verse that makes my heart beat fast with a strong urgency. About three years ago I felt a similar impulse. It was when my faith seemed lukewarm, even though I had a tremendous desire to honor and serve the Lord with my life.

The reason for the tepid temperature was my willingness to continue living my life with one foot in the world and one foot in the church. Thankfully, through a series of sermons from my pastor, my conscience started to burn and my heart became convicted by the cavalier nature I had adopted. The Holy Spirit was confronting me with a choice that needed to be made.

I knew that I wanted more of God which meant I would have to become less if I had any hope of living out my desire before a watching world. So, my steps needed to be strategic and intentional. As Paul stated, I would have to “flee from all this” (v. 11). What was “all this”? Turns out, Paul laid out a few things in black and white in I Timothy 6:4. I had wandered into them out of a self-righteous heart. Getting hit between the eyes with God’s truth this time around flipped a switch.

Over time, my intent to pursue the things that Paul charged Timothy with in this piece of Scripture, strengthened. My peace, joy and contentment increased and I fought to stay in that place. Soon, it felt as though I was living out a genuine life of faith and my previously room- temperature heart was heating up.

Don’t get me wrong, there have been many hurdles along the way. Living intentionally with a mind focused on my godly purpose, according to God’s Word, wasn’t a seamless process. The enemy attempted to sow seeds of self-doubt and I began questioning my steps, even when I discerned that the Lord was calling me to become a Biblical Counselor, two and a half years ago. While I’m still in my studies, there were moments when I wanted to quit along the way.

But God was faithful in protecting and reassuring my desires to serve him. My intent to pursue the things of 1 Timothy 6:11 and God’s call on my life, intensified and I regained perseverance to carry on. It’s my hope to become certified later this year.

All of this to say, it makes a difference when you and I, as Christ followers, choose to live life with intent and purpose for our Savior. No, it won’t always come easy. Each day will arrive with obstacles and reasons not to be deliberate about chasing the things of God. So, may we lean hard into Paul’s words and “flee from all this” (v. 11), so that we may lean heavy into Christ, living for and serving our King of kings and Lord of lords, Jesus.

Heavenly Father, thank you for your word that never changes because you never change. Give each reader of this devotion a heart of intent to run after you, fleeing from the worldly snares and, instead, pursuing godliness. I pray this in Jesus’s name. Amen.

Throughout This Day: Read, meditate on and journal through today’s verse. Give a specific example of how you are pursuing the virtues that Paul wrote about in 1 Timothy 6:11 and be encouraged by your progress.