​The concept of entropy has always fascinated me. I think I first heard the word in one of my science classes when I was in college and the concept behind it stuck with me.

What Is Entropy?

Said simply, it’s the idea that left to itself, most things will naturally move towards chaos and not order, wholeness and beauty. A garden is a good example of what happens when entropy sets in.  Left to its own, the good plants will eventually become overtaken by weeds.  But with care and nurture the garden has the potential to be breathtakingly beautiful or to produce a harvest of edibles.

This principles applies to about anything in life that truly matters.  You name it:  marriage, parenting, friendship, business, physical fitness, spirituality, etc.  I can’t think of anything that matters that will grow towards its full potential without a lot of intentional care and nurturing.  Nothing drifts into excellence.  In fact, drifting, or just going with the flow and hoping everything works itself out, is a sure path towards entropy.

Intentionality

The only way to resist entropy is with intentionality.  This means creating and implementing the patterns, rhythms and practices that help us to build up and invest in the things that matter to you.

For example, if you care about your marriage then creating a pattern of regular date nights or times away may be ways of building up and investing in your marriage.  Or taking time every day to get caught up on each other’s day. A marriage left unattended will not thrive.

Or maybe you sense a child drifting emotionally from you.  Rather than just allowing things to take their course and hoping this child comes around, consider setting aside a regular time to do something together that is meaningful to that child.

Our bodies, without care and attention to exercise, diet, sleep and stress reduction will more quickly move towards disease.

What about your spirituality?  There’s a line in an old hymn that I have always loved.  It goes like this:

Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it.  Prone to leave the God I love.  Here’s my heart; Oh, take and seal it.  Seal it for thy courts above.

How well this hymn articulates my experience of being prone to wandering away from Love.  The hymn even speaks to an intentional action that resists spiritual entropy-  the writer turns toward and places his life back in the hands of God.

What matters to you?

Think about it.  Relationships?  Health?  Education? Spirituality?  Family? Your vocation?  Whatever it is, we each must decide which patterns and disciplines will resist entropy in the things that are important to us.  And then do that.  Do those things regularly that will move what’s important to you towards greater health and wholeness.  I am sure it will be worth it.

May we each decide what matters and then find the strength, determination and commitment to resist entropy in the things that matter most.