This has been the recurring theme in messages at church, in YouTube videos I watch, and in Connect Group discussions of late. Call me a conspiracy theorist (though i think pattern recognitionist fits better here), but I’m beginning to think that maybe God is trying to tell me something…
Too many people today treat their walk with God like a New Year’s resolution—full of good intentions but lacking follow-through. They want to serve Him, they mean to pray more, they hope to read their Bible regularly. But life gets in the way, and before they know it, days turn into weeks, weeks into months, and they’ve drifted further than they ever thought possible. I know this to be true because it’s a pattern I recognize in myself.
But here’s the thing: no one accidentally lives for God. No one stumbles into righteousness by chance. Living for God requires intentionality.
Look at Daniel. As a young man, ripped from his home and placed in a pagan culture, he had every excuse to compromise. But what does the Bible say?
“But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank…” (Daniel 1:8 NKJV).
Daniel didn’t wait until temptation was staring him in the face. He made up his mind beforehand. He was intentional about his commitment to God. And because of that, he stood firm when it mattered most.
Jesus Himself spoke about this level of commitment. In Luke 9:23, He says, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” That’s not a one-time decision. That’s a daily choice, a purposeful surrender every morning when your feet hit the floor.
The reality is, if we aren’t intentional about living for God, the world will make sure we live for something else. There’s always another distraction, another excuse, another reason to push God to the margins. But Jesus didn’t die for a halfhearted, passive faith. He gave everything for us—shouldn’t we be willing to give Him our best in return?
So how do we live for God with intentionality? We make daily decisions that prioritize Him. We set aside time for prayer, not just when it’s convenient but because we know we need it. We open His Word, not just to check a box, but to hear His voice. We surround ourselves with people who push us closer to Him. And when temptation comes knocking, we don’t wait until the moment of decision—we purpose in our hearts, like Daniel, to stand firm.
Living for God isn’t a passive endeavor. It’s a choice. A commitment. A daily pursuit. So, the question is—have you made up your mind?
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