When Good Intentions Get Buried

Have you ever climbed into bed full of good intentions?

"Tomorrow will be different."

Tomorrow I'll wake up a little earlier and spend time with God before the day begins.

I'll open my Bible instead of my phone.

I'll check in on that friend who's been sick.

I'll finally clean out that closet and donate clothes to someone who could use them.

I'll be more patient. More generous. More present.

I'll keep snack bags in my car for someone in need.

I'll make time to simply listen when a loved one has had a hard day.

Every night, my heart is full of good intentions.

Maybe yours is, too.

My intentions usually involve giving more, loving more, praying more, and clearing away the unnecessary. They also include taking better care of myself—getting enough sleep, exercising consistently, and eating healthier.

Sound a little like New Year's resolutions?

I have wonderful intentions for those, too!

But today, I'm thinking about something deeper...our holy intentions.

Those quiet nudges God places on our hearts.

The ones that often begin with the best of intentions but somehow get buried beneath the ordinary distractions of life.

I'm not talking about being perfect. None of us are called to be perfect. We're simply called to keep turning our hearts toward God.

And if I'm honest...

Sometimes I drift.

Can you relate?

One quick glance at social media turns into thirty minutes of scrolling through everyone else's lives.

One game of Five Crowns, Word Box, Triple Match, Solitaire, Sudoku, Vita Mahjong...well, you get the picture!

(Side note: They say these games help keep our minds sharp. Please don't ask me who "they" are!)

Then there's that binge-worthy television series that promises, "Just one more episode."

Before I know it,

hours have quietly slipped away.

Here's what I've realized.

It's rarely the big things that pull me away from God.

It's the little distractions.

One notification.

One scroll.

One more game.

One more episode.

One "I'll do it later."

None of those things are bad in themselves. But together, they slowly crowd out the moments I had hoped to spend with Him and for Him, being love in action.

That's why this verse stopped me in my tracks:

But as for you,

be strong and do not slack off,

for there shall be a reward for what you do.

- 2 Chronicles 15:7

The verse isn't meant to heap guilt upon us.

It's an invitation.

An invitation to remain faithful.

To stay strong.

To choose what matters most, one small decision at a time.

If I'm being completely transparent, my phone has become my biggest distraction.

Maybe even my vice.

I reach for it far more often than I should. I'm constantly checking for the latest text, notification, post, email, or headline. Ironically, I don't enjoy the constant noise it creates, yet I also battle that familiar fear of missing out if I don't look.

Can anyone else relate?

The beautiful truth is this...

God isn't standing over us with disappointment every time we get distracted.

He isn't keeping score.

Every morning, His mercies are new.

Every moment is another invitation to turn our attention back toward Him.

We don't have to wait until Monday.

Or next month.

Or January 1st.

We can begin again today!

Before you close this page, I'd like to challenge you to choose just one holy intention.

Not ten.

Just one.

Spend five quiet minutes in prayer.

Read one Psalm.

Send one encouraging text.

Offer one act of kindness.

Put into action ONE of whatever your holy intention looks like.

God doesn't ask us to accomplish everything today.

He simply invites us to take the next faithful step.

A couple of weeks ago, The God Minute shared a beautiful meditation on this very subject. It reminded me that letting go of our distractions isn't about trying harder—it's about surrendering more fully. If you have a few quiet moments, I encourage you to listen. (I'll include the link below.)

I'd like to close with the prayer they pray at the end of each day's meditation. It's a beautiful reminder that our strength doesn't come from our own determination, but from placing ourselves back into God's hands.

Prayer of Letting Go

To you do I belong, O God.

Into your hands I surrender my life.

Pour out Your Spirit upon me

That I may love You perfectly,

And serve You faithfully

Until my soul rests in You.

Amen.

Blessings,

Bonnie

The God Minute Link: No Slacking | Podcasts

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