The Power of Commitment
Whatever you want to accomplish in life, it takes commitment and will cost you something. Commitment involves determination, discipline, focus, and requires that you have a plan. In fact, for a time you have to serve your commitment, and eventually that commitment will serve and benefit you. Some people fear that if they make a commitment, they’ll end up being disappointed. Or they don’t like the discipline it requires. Sometimes we like to keep our options open. What if there’s a Plan B that comes along later that’s better? But the reality is that it’s only the commitments that we make with our whole hearts that cause us to gain in the long run.
I was talking to a man who was celebrating his twenty-fifth wedding anniversary. It was fun because everyone could tell how much he loved his wife. He said to me, “You know, I love so many things about my wife, but there are moments when she’s not so lovable. She does some things that don’t make it so easy.” Then he smiled and added, “But I love her anyway.” I looked at him and said, “That’s right, because you made a commitment to truly love her, and that’s why you’re here today.”
We all would love to have great relationships. We would love for our marriage to be like that couple’s. But his few sentences gave a glimpse of what that requires. His commitment to having a good relationship with his wife meant being committed to keeping his mouth closed in the difficult times when she wasn’t so lovable. He chose to look at all the things that he loved about her rather than the things that tried to disrupt his love for her. A few negative things could not diminish the commitment of his love.
What is it that you want to accomplish? An improved relationship, a step up in your career? Proverbs 16:3 says, “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and He will establish your plans.” You can’t do it on your own, but you’re not on your own. You can commit those important things in your life to the God who is committed to you. He is saying, “Focus on your commitments, and believe that I’m going to help you bring them to pass.”
You may be right on the threshold of a new freedom, but you have to make a wholehearted commitment of those important things to God and renew that commitment on a daily basis. Put actions behind your commitment so that God can release His power in your life. I believe there’s freedom that you’re going to experience that will last a lifetime!
I was talking to a man who was celebrating his twenty-fifth wedding anniversary. It was fun because everyone could tell how much he loved his wife. He said to me, “You know, I love so many things about my wife, but there are moments when she’s not so lovable. She does some things that don’t make it so easy.” Then he smiled and added, “But I love her anyway.” I looked at him and said, “That’s right, because you made a commitment to truly love her, and that’s why you’re here today.”
We all would love to have great relationships. We would love for our marriage to be like that couple’s. But his few sentences gave a glimpse of what that requires. His commitment to having a good relationship with his wife meant being committed to keeping his mouth closed in the difficult times when she wasn’t so lovable. He chose to look at all the things that he loved about her rather than the things that tried to disrupt his love for her. A few negative things could not diminish the commitment of his love.
What is it that you want to accomplish? An improved relationship, a step up in your career? Proverbs 16:3 says, “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and He will establish your plans.” You can’t do it on your own, but you’re not on your own. You can commit those important things in your life to the God who is committed to you. He is saying, “Focus on your commitments, and believe that I’m going to help you bring them to pass.”
You may be right on the threshold of a new freedom, but you have to make a wholehearted commitment of those important things to God and renew that commitment on a daily basis. Put actions behind your commitment so that God can release His power in your life. I believe there’s freedom that you’re going to experience that will last a lifetime!