How to Move from Intention to Action

“The smallest act of kindness is worth more than the grandest intention.” ~Oscar Wilde

This quote convicts me hard.

The moment I read it, I thought of the encouraging card I bought for a friend who was going through an unimaginable loss. I bought that card a year ago, and it is still sitting on my desk. I had grand thoughts of an amazing care package I was going to put together to lift her spirits. Then life happened. I couldn’t get it together. So the card sat waiting for my wonderful intention to turn into action.

I spoke with that same friend a while back, and she shared about some of the wonderful cards and gifts people had sent her, and how they helped her through the loss. Her words convicted me to my very core.

My intention was pure. My intention was thoughtful. But my intention never left me. It stopped short of completion and never got the chance to bless the one God intended.

If I am really honest, that card is not the only good intention that has gone unfinished—not by a long shot. And even though I know God covers me with His unending grace, judging me by my heart and not my actions, I still desperately want to bridge the gap between my intentions and actions.

As I prayed about this very subject, I kept feeling that the bridge I was seeking stood in the gap between my intentions and being intentional. What makes these nearly exact words different? What connects them and what sets them apart?

• intention (noun): the thing that you plan to do or achieve: an aim or purpose
• intentional (adjective): done in a way that is planned or intended

The physical difference in these two words is just two little letters: a and l. Those two letters change a noun to an adjective. They change a plan or thought to a completed action.

Those two seemingly unassuming letters have power. They literally pick up where intention ends, and propel intention into motion. Whoa.

Then it hit me. What if those two letters stood for something more? What if they stood for action and love?

How glorious would it be if we could just add a little more action and love to our intentions, turning them from beautiful ideas into tangible blessings from God? [Tweet “Great intentions don’t matter much if they never become loving actions.”]

This, my friends, is the bridge between the grandest intentions and acts of kindness—a little more action and love. This is how we turn our intentions into intentional living.

Lord, You remind us over and over in Your Word that You call us to love each other with action and truth. Help us find ways to add a little more action and love to each beautiful intention so that we may intentionally pour out Your blessings to others. And let us remember that even a small act of kindness is always greater than the grandest intention. Amen.

Scriptures for Reflection

“Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works.” (Hebrews 10:24 NLT)

“But be doers of the Word, and not hearers only…” (James 1:22 NKJV)

“Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.” (1 John 3:18 NIV)

Reach for More

This week’s challenge is to act on one of your intentions. Have you been thinking about mailing a letter to a friend in need? Be intentional. Make time to write and mail it this week. Have you been wanting to clean out your closet? Do it, and then drop off the clothes to a donation center or to someone in need. Let’s not delay God’s blessings. Let’s intentionally love people in small and beautiful ways, and propel our intentions into motion.

Dear friends, we can do this. Be courageous, be intentional, and remember that one small act of kindness is greater than none at all.

Please, come back and leave a comment telling us about how God spoke to you this week, or share your progress on social media using the hashtag #tgtreachformore. We would love to hear from you.

Sarah Lundgren has a passion for all things sparkly, loves God with her whole heart, and is known to love Starbucks chai lattes a whole lot, too. Sarah is currently snuggled in the heart of Grand Rapids, Michigan with her sweet hubby, J, and her full-time job is making pretty things all day long for her Etsy business, so sarah designs, but she also loves writing devotional content here at The Glorious Table.