Commitment

I figured out something this week about the way I operate. There were three or four things that are on my preferred list of "to do's", baby presents, dinner for friends, some time with my brother who is in an assisted living facility etc. I just kept bouncing around the ideas but couldn't quite pull the trigger and get them done until....I specifically made a deadline, and put a time limit on them, saying I will be somewhere at such and such a time. Then I was committed, to whoever I had made the arrangements with and to my word!. That changed my whole game plan...for now I had to work my interruptions, my errands, and my schedule around the commitment and the plan. At days end I was finally able to let go of some of those tasks, that I had wanted to do, but that kept getting tromped over by sideline activities. The commitments ended up freeing me up from the thoughts that
had continued to cloud up my energies.

Commitment, It is something that means that you are obligated to honor and to fulfill a certain promise for a certain time, or at a certain time. But as I was thinking this through, I thought, what is the difference between a deadline and a commitment.

Well, according to Webster:
Commitment is an obligation, promise, etc that restricts one's freedom of action. Deadline is
a line or limit that must not be passed.

Commitment is a self imposed declaration, while a deadline is often a faction of someone else's timeline. I don't know about you but I often find myself running from commitment because I don't want to be restricted, and I don't want my freedom infringed upon. But the irony about making a few commitments this week is that those commitments ultimately freed me from nagging "I want to do this" but, "can't figure out the time" thoughts or deeds. There was a deadline involved, because I had stated a time, but it was merely a reference that I was shooting for in my commitment.

And this brings me to our relationship with Christ. What is it that Christ wants from us in a relationship? He wants commitment. Plain and simple. Commitment to seek him, live by his ways, trust him, and have faith in HIm that he will work out our details of the deadlines. I try lots of times to skate along side that commitment but God, I know wants me to be committed to be WITH Him and IN Him and not just along side of him with tentative intentions. Until I figure out that my ultimate freedom in life lies within the bounds of commitment to Christ, I will forever be yearning to do the right thing but will be distracted by interruptions and my own agenda.

John 1:18
No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.

God has set us on a path to be able to hold his hand and walk with him on whatever journey he has placed before us. But in order for him to enable our ability to be free from worry and fear and discouragement, we have to be willing to commit our lives to him. It is hard to give up rights, for any of us, but it is God who wants us to be free and enjoy him forever, and the only way to accomplish that true freedom is live within HIm who has the power to transform us and grow us.

Dear Lord, Thank you for your continuous blessings upon us and the abilities you have given us to glorify you as we serve others

Praise God wherever you are and whatever situation He has allowed you to be in . . . His glory will shine through!