Still Committed, Faithful

Nature expresses God’s faithfulness.

Expounding on the post regarding being committed, it would serve us well to look at our standard for commitment. God. He is committed, faithful to us. There are Scriptures, of course, that speak to this characteristic of God. In order to become wise about commitment, let us go the Scriptures. God loved us so much and was so committed to us that He gave His only Son that we might have life, and that more abundantly.

John 3:16 - “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
John 10:10 - “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”

The Psalms are such comforting chapters for us no matter where we are or what state we are in and sincerely speaks of God’s faithfulness. When we seek comfort for heartache, tough circumstances, and anything else this life throws at us, the Word says the following, from the Old Testament to the New Testament.

Deuteronomy 7:9 - “Know therefore that the Lord your God is God, He is the faithful God, keeping His covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love Him and keep His commandments.”

When reading the Old Testament, it is clear that God was faithful to the children of Israel, from the parting of the Red Sea to providing manna from heaven and water from a rock. Just the simplicity of God providing something out of nothing moves me. Sure there are times when it is difficult, but remembering His faithfulness is strengthening and refreshing. Understand that God’s thoughts are not our thoughts and His ways not our ways. There are times when patience has to have that perfect work where you endure because you are faithful to Him and trust Him.

Psalm 145:13 – “Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,” and your dominion endures through all generations. The Lord is trustworthy in all He promises and faithful in all He does.”

There is nothing that you will experience that God cannot get you through. Not unless you don’t want Him to. He is omniscient, omnipresent and omnipotent. He is present everywhere, knows everything and is all powerful. If there was ever a source to connect to, He is it. Yes, things are crazy and chaotic right now. Some might say they don’t believe because of that, what would they be committing to? But know this, God is still and always will be in control. He has allowed things to happen for His glory. They are at times uncomfortable, painful, and just get in the way of us getting what we want right now! Let’s keep it real, when we feel the most discomfort, it’s because we believe that we are not getting what we want and He may be keeping it from us. However, since God is all knowing, there may be something that will be harmful to you and God will not allow it. That said, what He does allow He knows you will be alright.

1 Corinthians 10:13 - “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.”

God desires our heart. He wants us to be committed to Him; not our flesh, not the enemy and not the world. Are you committed? Are you still committed?

Committed

Devoted, faithful….

Today, this post is about being committed. What are you committed to, voluntarily or involuntarily? It can be supposed that you are in complete control of what you are committed to. However, after doing some research, I find that you may be involuntarily committed to things you don’t want to be committed to. Our habits definitely paint a picture of what we are committed to. Think about what you do daily without even thinking about it, and you will find that there are things you might not have thought about. Work, hygiene, TV time, game time, etc. are just a few. Granted hygiene and work are very important. Wondering were I am going with this?

Commitment to God and our spiritual lives is equally, if not more important. It’s difficult to be committed, effective and productive at work, if you are falling apart. It’s difficult to care about your hygiene if you are depressed. The point is that there is a serious need to be committed to your spiritual life and eternal destination. While some may not deem this to be that serious, take a look at the world today. Something is amiss with all the hate, anger, frustration, and destruction going on. Then, throw on top the pandemic and the other natural disasters that have continued which we have no control over whatsoever.

In my recovery journey, a major part of what I have learned is just that, what I have been committed to involuntarily. The obsessive compulsive behaviors that had control over my life including my thoughts I was involuntarily committed to until I began to really face what I was committed to. It was about what I was doing on a regular basis without even thinking about it. And, as we all know, our thoughts compel our behaviors.

1 Kings 8:61-And may your hearts be fully committed to the Lord our God, to live by His decrees and obey His commands, as at this time.”

I would like to challenge you to evaluate what you are committed to. In that process, consider your commitment to God because He is committed to us. He loves us so much that He gave His only Son that we might have life, and that more abundantly. A synonym for committed is faithful. God has shown His faithfulness to us by reconciling us through Christ Jesus. Let us consider the value of the things that we are committed to. Are we faithful to Him like He is to us? Would replacing some commitments be so farfetched if your eternal life depended on it? No matter what is going on in the world today, however challenging, our presence here is temporary. That is why it is so important to make your spiritual and eternal life the priority.

What are you committed to?