In order to stay committed and to keep commitments, we need to focus on full commitment to God and on living according to His Great Expectations with regard to the commitments we make. There’s no other way to truly stay committed. They are the standards by which He expects us to live.

Fortunately, we have many Biblical Lessons on Commitment to help us learn how to live according to His Great Expectations. In addition to these lessons, we now look at some guidelines the Bible gives us for keeping commitments in a way that honors God by Staying in the Boat.

5 Guidelines for Making Godly Commitments

  1. Make sure beliefs and commitments line up with each other (1 Timothy 4:16). Life sure is less complicated when what we believe and what we do don’t contradict each other. Not only do we feel more grounded, but our kids and those we are around the most feel more secure knowing what to expect from us.
  2. Stay committed to decisions but allow for flexibility in your approach (Proverbs 16:9). We need to make plans and to stay organized, but we also need to realize that God may redirect us at times or that we may be off on our plans. Other people can cause a change in plans too. Stay flexible.
  3. Be very careful with your words (Matthew 5:34-37). Our words are very important to God, so we certainly need to avoid making promises based on good intentions. Once a promise is made, it should be kept. Afraid of breaking promises? Be sure you can keep it before you make it.
  4. Ask God’s direction before committing (Joshua 9:14). Joshua promised the Edomites protection without consulting God. Had He talked to God first, Joshua most likely would not have fallen for their lies. Take time before committing, and don’t answer rashly based on emotion or pressure. Ask for time before making a commitment.
  5. Avoid over-commitment (1 Peter 4:8-11). Do you find yourself breaking commitments on a regular basis? Maybe you just put them off a lot or keep forgetting about them? If “rush” is your only speed, you’re probably over-committing yourself. Being committed is not necessarily about making commitments. In fact, I find that the fewer commitments I make, the more committed I am able to be.

Don’t Jump Out of the Boat!

When we feel overwhelmed with life rushing in, we sometimes feel like jumping out of the boat all together. Just escape in any way possible. However, that’s not God’s desire for our lives.

We need discernment, prayer, caution, and accountability in order to stay committed. We need room (i.e., margin) in our days, weeks, months, years, and lives to keep the commitments we make.

Over-commitment not only leads to a desire to abandon ship, it also can lead to damaging our integrity by damaging relationships and our own ability to spiritually, physically, and mentally stay committed and to reach the other shore victoriously.

Other posts in this series:

Staying Committed, Part 1 of 5 – Staying in the Boat

Staying Committed, Part 2 of 5 – Great Expectations

Staying Committed, Part 3 of 5 – Biblical Lessons on Commitment

Staying Committed, Part 5 of 5 – Benefits of Total Commitment