Intentional Christian Living: If God Wrote Your To-Do List…

If we let God write our daily to-do list, it would look a little like this.

I love a good list. Lists help me stay aligned with my goals and keep my day headed in the right direction. They make sure the hours don’t slip by without anything productive happening. I make a plan, turn it into a daily list, sometimes even add time blocks, and then, my favorite part, I get to check things off! Amen from all my fellow type-A’s out there? You know exactly what I’m talking about.

Over the years, I’ve had to learn to be a little less rigid about my lists. (I can practically hear my husband right now saying, “Have you, though?” Yes, Bob. I have.) Even so, lists still help me reach my long-term and short-term goals with a lot more intention.

Because without goals, we drift. And without a plan or a list, those goals aren’t much more than ideas.

Faith works the same way.

As we walk out this life in Christ, there will be movement. Change. Growth.

We can drift backward.

Stand still.

Or intentionally move forward, drawing closer to God and becoming more like Jesus.

But that doesn’t just happen on its own.

God desires to transform us day by day into the image of His Son. The Holy Spirit works in us to accomplish that purpose. Jesus made it possible through His death and resurrection. But here’s the thing, God will not force transformation on us. He equips us, leads us, empowers us, but we must choose, on purpose, to walk His way.

The choosing must happen before the day starts to pull at us.

Before someone cuts us off in traffic.

Before we feel overlooked at work.

Before a comment hurts our feelings.

Before “life happens,” we need to have already decided that we will be doing things God’s way.

That’s discipline. That’s submission. That's intentional Christian living. That’s living under the Lordship of Christ, yes, even in traffic.

So, we wake up, talk to our Father about the day, and listen as He reminds us of His love and His plans. We remember who we are in Him and who Jesus is to us. We ask the Holy Spirit to guide our steps and help us honor God in what we do, say, and even think.

We decide, purposefully, prayerfully, ahead of time, to love, to forgive, to be patient, to encourage, to help, to pray. We decide to trust God and submit to Him before we ever meet the first human who didn’t start their morning with a to-do list with God.

Because life isn’t stationary, ever. We are always in motion. And if we aren’t choosing godliness day after day, life will choose for us. Drifting is real, and drifting tends to send us straight into a ditch.

So today, be proactive. Live on purpose, with purpose.

Make your list. Talk to God about His plans for you. He already wrote every one of your days before a single one came to be (Psalm 139:16). Then commit yourself fully to Him: “But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord” (1 Peter 3:15).

Let’s plan our days, but not just our tasks.

Let’s plan to follow God’s lead.

Let’s plan to walk in godliness with the help of the Holy Spirit.

Now that’s a day well spent, one that checks all the right boxes.

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🍃 Your Turn

How do you prepare your heart and mind, so your day points to Jesus?

What habits, rhythms, or “lists” help you choose godliness before the day begins?

Share in the comments — I’d love to hear how you stay intentional.

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🌿 From the Author

This reflection aligns beautifully with the themes in my devotional book, Echoes in the Wilderness, which explores how God meets us in the ordinary moments of our lives.

If this encouraged you, I’d love for you to check it out — available now in hardcover and softcover.

Click Me

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Because every choice matters, every step is part of the story, and every intentional moment points back to Him.