Intentional Living

“Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.”

– Ephesians 5:15-16 (ESV)

The author of Hebrews tells us to not neglect meeting together as some were apparently doing at that time (Heb. 10:25). But in his book Spiritual Depression: Its Causes and Cures, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones writes that the whole of life seems to be organized in such a way that we can occupy ourselves at any moment with any number of distractions. He even includes Christian meetings in those distractions. He claims, “Meetings are good and excellent, but let us beware lest we become so dependent upon meetings that one day when we find ourselves ill and laid upon our bed we do not know what to do with ourselves. We can become too dependent even on Christian meetings—even on a Christian atmosphere” (282).

We are good at distracting ourselves, aren’t we? Whether it’s obsessively taking in the deluge of media coverage on COVID-19, mindlessly scrolling through social media, binge-watching Netflix series, searching Pinterest for activities to keep our kids occupied, tackling one house project after another, or choreographing viral-worthy TikTok dance videos, we have more than enough of the world to keep our minds occupied.

Lloyd-Jones isn’t saying our Christian meetings aren’t good. We’re called to meet as brothers and sisters in Christ to learn from and encourage one another. But what he issaying is that we’re so good at distracting ourselves that we can even use our Christian meetings to do so, and we can become dependent on them over knowing God alone as our all-sustaining source.

Well, now our meetings have been taken away, and what are we doing with the time? We have a unique opportunity with more time than usual on our hands to focus our gaze on things above. Are we making the most of it? Some of us still have to work. Some of us have to homeschool our kids or finish our own schoolwork. There are projects that need to be completed. And we should stay connected with our church through live-streamed services, Zoom calls with small groups, and phone calls or FaceTime chats with accountability partners. We should intentionally check on one another and serve one another as much as stay-at-home orders allow. But instead of distracting ourselves from the discomfort of the moments where we feel like we have nothing to do, we should take advantage of the extra time quarantine has probably allowed us all to be silent, to draw near to the One who has given us new life in Christ, to the One who has given us a future and a hope beyond Coronavirus, fear, and death. Instead of wondering what we can do to keep busy, we need to ask, “What can I do to draw close to my God, my Savior, my King?”

The Christian life takes intentionality. Throughout the New Testament we are commanded to put off the old self, put on the new, to set our minds on the things of Christ, and to make the most of the time. We’re going to make mistakes, and we won’t be consistent, but we have been given the power that raised Jesus Christ from the dead, the Holy Spirit, to live faithfully and give God our best effort. My encouragement to you now (and to myself) is to make your main priority developing habits of grace that will last beyond quarantine:  meet with God daily in His word, replace mindless tasks with communion with God in prayer, and intentionally share with your spouse, your kids, and other brothers and sisters in Christ what the Lord is teaching you. Let yourself be uncomfortable with the quiet and with the downtime, and bring all that you’ve been trying to distract yourself from thinking or feeling to the Lord and wait on Him as He fills your heart and mind with the profound truths and promises that are yours as heirs with Christ.
 

More Ideas for Redeeming the Time:

• Go to bed at a decent time so you can wake up early and begin the day in God’s word.
• Instead of scrolling through social media posts, put your phone down and spend time praying for specific people. You could call someone whose posts you would have looked through and ask them about specific ways to be praying for them and then do it right there. Or you can sit in silence and meditate on all the good things God has given you and praise Him.
• Designate certain nights as “no-TV” nights, and instead, read a book on Christian living or theology or a biography of a faithful follower of Christ from the past. (If anything, this will make you want to go to bed sooner!)
• Start a family worship habit—morning devotions with the kids, family worship nights, writing worship poetry together, reading through the Gospels after dinner, memorizing a chapter or book of the Bible together (you can do this with a friend, too), etc.
• Take care of your physical body with good sleep, exercise, and healthy food choices. (When I slack on any of these, it can affect my mood and my attitude toward others.)
• Feel free to send me more ideas as you think of them!