Forrest Gump is one of those rare films whose scenes and lines linger in our minds for decades. You might picture the opening shot: Forrest sitting on that white bench in Savannah, Georgia (standing in for Greenbow, Alabama), introducing himself with his gentle drawl: “Hello. My name is Forrest. Forrest Gump.” Or Jenny shouting, “Run, Forrest, run!” as the bullies chase him as he runs with his leg braces. Maybe it’s “Stupid is as stupid does,” or the timeless wisdom, “Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get.” There’s Bubba reciting every imaginable way to prepare shrimp, Lt. Dan raging against the storm from the deck of the “Jenny”, or Forrest abruptly halting his cross-country run: “I’m pretty tired. I think I’ll go home now.”
Great movies imprint images and words on our hearts. But for me, the most profound moment comes near the end, as Forrest stands at Jenny’s grave and reflects quietly: “I don’t know if we each have a destiny, or if we’re all just floating around accidental-like on a breeze, but I think maybe it’s both. Maybe both is happening at the same time.”
A simple line, yet it captures one of life’s deepest questions: Do we have a destiny, or are we merely adrift, carried by chance? Or could it be both?
We tend to believe in destiny—or at least intentionality—when it comes to major life choices. We deliberate over college: whether to go, where to go. We weigh career paths, marriage, children, buying a home. These decisions demand thought, planning, and purpose.
Yet when it comes to faith, many of us drift. We say yes to Jesus and then wait for spiritual growth to happen passively, as if maturity will simply arrive on the wind. (Yes, Scripture likens the Holy Spirit to wind, but that’s not an excuse for passivity.) The truth is the opposite: spiritual maturity requires intentional pursuit. If we want to follow Jesus faithfully and become as useful to God’s kingdom as possible, we must choose it deliberately.
Scripture calls us to this again and again:
Philippians 4:8 urges us to think intentionally—focusing our minds on what is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy.
Micah 6:8 calls for intentional action: to act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with God.
1 Corinthians 13:11 reminds us to put away childish things and grow up in our behavior.
John 15:13 defines the height of love as laying down one’s life for others—an act of deliberate, sacrificial choice.
Take a moment: Where in your faith life are you floating along, letting the breeze decide? How intentional are you about your thoughts, your actions, your love?
Where do you want to be in your walk with Christ to be in a month? Once answered. What is your next step?
It’s time to stop drifting.
It’s time to be determined to live intentionally.
Maybe “Stupid is as stupid does” is more profound than we think.
To misquote Bob Dylan and mix a metaphor; The answer, my friend, isn’t blowing in the wind, the answer is setting your sails for a destination.
Peace,
Rev. Dr. Tom Mabry