Jan 1

Written by:
1/1/2009 8:12 PM 

One of my favorite magazine/website/periodicals is "Collide" magazine. I was just on their website looking over their year in review/new years articles. One article lists the top ten new years resolutions they are:

1.  Spend more time with family and friends
2.  Exercise
3.  Lose weight
4.  Quit smoking
5.  Enjoy life more
6.  Quit drinking
7.  Get out of debt
8.  Learn something new
9.  Help others
10.Get organized

All good things, I suppose. I admit, I don't make resolutions. Its not that I don't see my own shortcomings. Believe me...I know that I have an affinity for chocolate and a good sale at Wal-Mart. But I don't see the point of making a statement about how much I'm going to change only to beat myself up in February because it only lasted 17.5 days. I think that although I'd LIKE to change certain things about myself...unless I am committed to it, it's just not going to happen. 

Commitment is a hard thing. It means putting something in the highest of importance. Webster's dictionary defines being committed as "to carry into action deliberately." That means, a commitment is not just lip service. It's not just a new years resolution that is made on January 1 and forgotten by January 17. It's action...it's deliberate...it's probably not always easy.  

I make it a point to limit my commitments. I take them seriously. Too many commitments and I become stretched too thin and the deliberate action becomes weakened. I am committed to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Through Him, I am able to say that I am committed to loving and serving and remaining faithful to my husband and my children. Because of Him, I am in service to others through my friendships, my church, and my work. By strengthening my commitment to Jesus, my other relationships are, in turn, strengthened.

Instead of making a new New Years Resolution, I encourage you to instead examine what your current commitments are. What are you committed to? Who are you committed to? When you've examined your commitments, how then are you living up to them? And are you carrying this commitment into action deliberately? Think twice before adding to your commitments this year. Working to improve oneself is an admirable and good thing, but you may find that you can best improve yourself by focusing on strengthening the commitments you've already got!

(And let me add...the most important commitment you can ever make is to Jesus Christ. Have you made that a commitment in your life?)