The Power of Commitment

I am a firm believer in commitment, and this past week I saw the power of commitment in action.
I have told my children for as long as I can remember, "whatever you commit too, will in return commit to you. I did not realize just how concretely they had taken these words to heart until last week.
You see, my sons have a strong passion and call for missions over their lives, and they have answered the call, Mexico this week and Uruguay over the summer.
When they approached us with the desire to go on the Mexico trip, we had to be honest and tell them we could not do it. With certain financial obligations already looming before us there was no way that, we could afford to send one boy let alone both of them.
It was as if they did not hear what I said, because their next words were, "so can we go". I asked them where they were going to get the money from and my second son, without skipping a beat said, "From God, where we get everything else" - in a tone that clearly said DUUUUUUH mom.
I told them in order for them to go it would have to be God. Let me tell you they put their faith to action and begin to pray and believe God.
After hearing, the news about what is going on in certain areas of Mexico I panicked and said NO. I made it clear that unless God spoke to my heart in a specific way they would not be going anywhere. They refused to take no as a possibility concerning this trip. They would continue to ask, if I had signed the consent form yet, if I told them we didn't have the money they would pull the God card - reminding me that God had it, that He was their source. If I told them I did not have a peace, they would question where my faith had gone, but never at any time did they accept no for an answer. They were committed to going on this trip.
Despite my fears, God would not let me rest or let it go, until I placed my sons and this trip fully in His hands. I had to take a stand and commit my sons to the Father and at that place, a peace flooded my soul that it was well and they would be well.
In that instant I told the Lord if it was His will he would have to make a way out of no way because we didn’t have it to do. Within minutes of my praying that prayer, my husband received a phone call from one of the pastors telling him that we didn’t have to worry about the money, the boys were covered if we wanted them to go. We were amazed! This trip which had seemed impossible, had now been paid in full for both boys! All praises be to GOD!
With the cost of the trip covered, we still had a list of things that they were required to bring and one week to get them. We honestly did not have the finances to supply their needs but we serve a God who supplies all of our needs according to HIS riches in Glory by Christ Jesus! I prayed and asked the Lord for guidance and he answered. We have a popcorn company we had retired due to the economy and the Father gave me the idea to bring it out of retirement. He prompted me to do a fundraiser for them. I sent out an email sharing what had transpired and within days, the Lord had blessed them to reach their goal. He is so faithful and as I type, my sons are in Mexico busy with the work of the Lord.
Watching how it all unfolded strengthened my faith, shored up my beliefs and reminded me of the power of commitment. It also presented some lessons that I obviously needed to review.
I was waiting on God to crack the skies or reveal to me in some major way that this was really Him before I committed my sons to this trip. I had it in my mind that if God provides this way or speaks that way then I’ll know and you can go. HA, God is so much smarter than I am. I thought I was waiting on Him, yet it turned out He was waiting on ME! It was not until I committed that I saw the miracle I needed to see.
So often I’ve used I’m waiting on the Lord as an excuse, when the truth is He is waiting on me. Now, let me be clear, I am not suggesting waiting on the Lord is an excuse – we do need to wait on Him for many, many things – however I will admit I have often used it as an excuse. An excuse for not moving forward, an excuse to cover my fears, an excuse to pacify my flesh when it is in rebellion to the thing the Lord has spoken to me to do.
Psalm 37: 5 says commit thy way unto the Lord; trust Him and He shall bring it to pass. When God has placed something in our hearts to do, we must be faithful to do it. Even as Mary told the servants in John 2:5, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it! Like the Nike add says, Just Do IT!
It does not matter what the circumstances are saying, what picture is being painted! If God has placed it within you to do, then He is able and more than able to bring it to pass. When we allow circumstances that arise to cause our focus to sway from that which we are committed to, we become driven and tossed rather than being guided and led. Our thoughts and hearts become divided, causing us to be wavering and double minded. The bible tells us of the consequences of wavering and being double minded in James 1; 6-8.
As a Well Watered Woman I don't want to be double minded, I want my thoughts to be established by the Lord. How do I have my thoughts established? Through Commitment, Pro 16:3 Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts SHALL be established. The moment I committed my sons and the trip to the Lord, my thoughts were established. No longer tossed by every wind and doctrine – the doctrine of fear, lies of the enemy and doubt – I was able to hear clearly from the Lord. I was able to hear His plan and led on how to implement it.
I also had to come to the realization that my failure to commit does not just affect me; it affects everyone in relationship to me. Had I not yielded to the Lord committing my sons to His will for their lives, I would have caused them to miss all that the Lord has in store for them this week. It also would have affected the team that they were going on the trip with, causing them to be two men short on working. It would have affected the souls that they were called to touch in Mexico. Commitment is powerful and when we commit our ways to the Lord, we are expressing 2 Tim 1:12 - nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.
Dear Well Watered Women are you committed today. Are there things in your heart the Father has called you to do? Are you waiting on Him or is He waiting on YOU?
Can I encourage you today, to just do it, whatever the Lord is saying to you, to simply do it? Can I encourage you to commit your thoughts, your ways, and your all to Him that you may be established and that He may bring it to pass?

Until next time,