2 Timothy 2
2 You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
3 Join with me in suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus.
7 Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this
15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. 16 Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly.
22 Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.
2 Timothy 3:12-17
In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evildoers and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
-
the state or quality of being dedicated to a cause, activity, etc.“the company’s commitment to quality”
-
an engagement or obligation that restricts freedom of action.“business commitments”
The word commitment is not a new word to any of us. We have learned from an early age how to be committed to something. School work, sports, learning to play an instrument, jobs and hopefully our spouses. But what about being committed to Christ? Do we look at Him with the same commitment level or in some cases it would need to be stronger? And what about the definition that it “restricts freedom of action”? Yes, being committed to God my restrict some of my actions, simply because they aren’t good for me, or I can choose to not let my actions be restricted and I will suffer the consequences.
I like to think that my commitment restricts those areas of my life so that I can be freed up to do SO MUCH MORE for HIM!
-
a formal declaration that someone is guilty of a criminal offense, made by the verdict of a jury or the decision of a judge in a court of law.“she had a previous conviction for a similar offense”
-
a firmly held belief or opinion.“his conviction that the death was no accident”
The same goes for conviction but at times it has a negative connotation. If I’m convicted of something, then people would naturally think it’s bad, criminal offence but Howard Hendricks, a bible teacher that Rick Warren quotes, has a much different view.
He says ,”Our convictions determine our conduct. They motivate us to take a stand or to act according to our values.”
Rick Warren says that today people often have a strong conviction about weak issues, such as football, fashion, ect) while having weak convictions about major issues (such as what is right and what is wrong).
Hebrews 11:1 “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (NRSV)
So what drives me? What drives you? Is it the things that you can see? I have found that usually the things of this world that I can see, generally fade. They just can’t hold up to my expectations of them. People or otherwise! I have found that God is the only thing that I can stand firm on. He is the only captain of my life and hopefully yours.
So join me in digging deep and finding WHO we’re going to be committed to and what convictions will define us.
Lord I come to you today committed and convicted! I fail so often Lord but now I KNOW IT! And you have allowed me to grow from them. I cherish my time with You and I long to be with You forever. Each day that I walk, I want people to see me as committed and convicted and I don’t mind that they know it’s towards You. I ask You Lord to help me be strong in my faith and guide my every word and action so that others will see Your goodness. Please be with my family and friends. I know this world can be harmful to our souls and I pray that they will seek You for their love, joy, comfort and solace. Amen!
Rhonda Gould Coaching & Consulting 