Established
Christians want their vision to be guided by God’s word and their reflection to be grounded in the Lord. After all, life is about God using you for his purposes – showing you how you fit into his plan – rather than about you using God for your purposes.
Outside of God’s parameters, I struggle with commitment. When my vision is driven by self-improvement instead of glorifying God, it quickly dies. Likewise, any reflection based on self-evaluation instead of on how my life lines up with Christ’s example fails to have a lasting impact.
However, if my vision comes from God and my reflection focuses on his activity and impact on my life, my commitment to growth remains strong because it is established by the Lord.
Directed
For far too many years, my commitment found direction in what I wanted. I made goals based on self-created vision and self-centered reflection. As the Holy Spirit changed my focus, he directed me toward commitment established by the Lord.
“Commit your works to the LORD [submit and trust them to Him], and your plans will succeed [if you respond to His will and guidance].” (Proverbs 16:3, AMP)
“A man’s mind plans his way [as he journeys through life], but the LORD directs his steps and establishes them.” (Proverbs 16:9, AMP)
As my plans are discerned through God’s will as I read and reflect on his word, my commitment becomes not only established in him but also continually directed by him. In other words, I not only make commitments that honor, him but I keep those commitments instead of letting them fade.
Focused
As Qui-Gon Jinn said in Star Wars: Episode I, The Phantom Menace, “Your focus determines your reality.” This truth has proven true with creating vision and setting goals in my life.
After trying to create my own vision and set my own goals for much of my life, I’m finally realizing that my focus was on myself. Because of this, my commitment never lasted long and rarely stayed focused on growth. Most crucially, it never resulted in increased intimacy with Jesus.
That all changed when I finally listened to the Holy Spirit’s prompting to let my focus on myself go. As this progress toward perfection deepens in my life, I look forward to commitment that not only stays consistent but that also results in success that glorifies God.
