Setting Your Intention

Nothing calms me like the sound of water and waves.  While on vacation in Jamaica recently, I decided to take advantage of an 8 a.m. yoga class on a Saturday morning by the beautiful blue Caribbean ocean.  I guess 8 a.m. yoga on Saturday morning is not a popular pick for vacationers as I was the only person who showed up for the class.  Oh well, it was simply a confirmation that this one on one was for me.

Please understand that I am not very good at yoga.  No matter how many messages my brain may send to my body, my body responds, “you want to do what”?  Normally, I’m so fixated on finding a position or alternate position that will cause the least strain on my body or the one that will prevent from face-planting right on the mat!  But on this day I committed to just being mindful and just be.  Whatever “be” was going to be.

The instructor said to put my hands over my heart and set my intention for the day, the week, the month.  I thought what a wonderful way to approach not only this class but life in general.  I did some quick soul-searching for my intention thought.  First, I thought of the word peace, but that wasn’t quite it.  I pondered some more and decided that my intention was for contentment.  To simply let be whatever would be.  Whatever it “be,” it would be well with my soul.

As I moved through the various positions, some more challenging than others, I listened to the waves rising then settling.  That’s how I want to live my life, riding the waves when the roll in and settling as the waves roll back out and having the same level of contentment and knowing.  Knowing that through them all that Christ is with me.  None of this emotional rollercoaster stuff that happens that keeps us bound up, wound up and tangled up when life seems of our control.  It may seem out of “our” control, but it is never out of God’s control.

The yoga instructor reminded me that yoga is a practice.  That’s good to know because we all know that we can read our devotional at 5 a.m. and have quality time with God and before 8 a.m. life has happened and there were are out there bouncing on the waves.  We have to remember to put our hands back over our hearts and remember our intention and ask God to quiet us as only He can.  Just the simple act of putting my hand over my heart and reminding myself that it is well with my soul brings me right back to the place of contentment.

My prayer for you, friends, is that you, too, will declare your intention. Proverbs 4:23 tells us to “above all else, guard your heart for everything you do flows from it.”   Ask God for your heart’s intention.  We know that He is able and we know that He is willing.  We have but to ask.