Failure to Commit Will Destroy Me

Commitment is one of the most pivotal issues that’s on the forefront of the younger generations. Are we committed to our relationships, careers, or our kids? Today the average 25 year old will have worked 6 different jobs by that point in life. We’re still looking at a divorce rate that’s hovering around 50 percent. Then there is the fallout from the divorce rate which is a rise in single parent households. 12 million single parent families, of which 12 million 85% are single moms (Source).

This brings me to the question I want to ask myself and everyone reading this: Are we fully committed to Jesus? I truly believe if we are committed to Jesus then we wouldn’t have the plethora of commitment issues we see in society today.

As I take a step back and look at my own life I can see several dark times where I struggled with my commitment and relationship with Christ. During those dark times I asked myself questions like: “Do I really want to work in a church my whole life?” or “God, I don’t think I can make a difference with these people?” These dark times were initiated by the low points of the loss of a loved one or my failed engagement. Then, when by the grace of Christ, I picked myself up and realized I was using those low points as excuses.

As those major low points happened the first reaction is the classic role of playing the victim. This role is where we constantly say “why me”.  Leading up to my life’s low points was my failure to connect, strengthen, grow, and fully commit to the life Christ has planned out for me. Too many times I’ve taken my relationship with Christ for granted. Without fail every time I managed to get to such shallow realization of that relationship, I seem to fall head first into a dark situation that leaves me in desperate need. That need is commitment that must be fulfilled by me with God. Sin is and was the reason I wasn’t being fully committed; for there is nothing else that keeps us from being fully committed to Christ.

There are a vast number of excuses that we’ve all used, and they are saturated with justification for why we’re not fully committed to Christ. Then with all the wisdom we possess we decide not to call those saturated excuses what they truly are. Our sinful desires is exactly what they are. I can hear myself and multitudes say, “Ugh, we just don’t have the time!” We have to realize what we’re doing is literally saying that our relationship with Jesus is not worth us making time for it. Then when we put other things above Jesus in what gets our time, that’s the base definition of idolatry.

Sin is and was the reason I wasn’t being fully committed; for there is nothing else that keeps us from being fully committed to Christ.

Yes, careers are important; yes, supporting our families is important. Yes, it’s okay for us to enjoy sports and hobbies. I must say to myself and others it’s not okay to sacrifice our relationship with Christ for any of those things. For only one mentioned is eternal, and that is our relationship with Christ. We all need a reminder of Paul’s words in Galatians chapter 2: “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

It is our sinful nature of pride and selfishness that is waging a war over our time with our relationship with Christ. I myself need to do a better job of making a commitment of time to Christ, and I’m probably safe in saying many of you do as well. It starts with all of us being real and first admitting that not everything that takes up our time is important. Then we need to follow that up with a huge dose of intentionality and discipline. We neglect many times our spiritual disciplines of prayer, scripture, and most importantly silence. Be honest, when was the last time you got away and sat in silence trying to communicate and enhance your relationship with Christ?

It is our sinful nature of pride and selfishness that is waging a war over our time with our relationship with Christ.

If we’re serious about solving our many commitment issues, a good place to start is the commitment issue we all have in our relationship with Jesus. For if that relationship is one that is solid and edifying, we will all see some substance and peace enter our lives. Then once the one relationship that matters is intact, don’t be surprised if you start to enjoy your family time and work more. For it is from Jesus we get our happiness and fulfillment from, not our high powered careers or our time-consuming hobbies.

So I ask that you join me in a call to make Christ the center of our lives, and give him the full commitment that he deserves. Once we do that we will find fulfillment, and no longer be wanting or in need.