The Power of Commitment

"If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does." James 1:6-8

I have always found this verse to be rather confusing, never quite sure why the writer would be so harsh on someone who has doubts. I think back to the account of Thomas (who we refer to as Doubting Thomas) when he said "Lord I believe; help my unbelief." We all struggle with doubts, especially when what we see in real life seems to contradict everything we believe.

The issue that James is trying to address here is that of commitment, which has its root in our belief system. When we are truly committed to something, we stand 100% behind it and we believe whole-heartedly in our cause. However, if we have doubts, our commitment level drops and we are no longer effective in our endeavors. Allow me to illustrate this with a real-life example that will exemplify the disastrous affects of doubt.

Having been an employee with the same company for over 14 years, I have always prided myself on my loyalty and my commitment. My diligence and hard work has been rewarded over the years, and my work has brought me much personal satisfaction. However, over the past few months, things changed drastically for me as I began to entertain the idea of leaving and joining another company. The thoughts of working in a different field excited me. Perhaps I just needed a change. But would the risks be worth the reward? I struggled with the uncertainty and wavered in my decision.

Unknowingly, the doubts about my current role and my wavering commitment to my current employer took its toll. I was no longer a happy, satisfied employee. I no longer gave a 100% to my projects. My thoughts were turned elsewhere. I couldn't quite bring myself to leave, but I couldn't quite bring myself to stay, either. I became a "double-minded man [woman], unstable in all his [my] ways." And honestly, I do believe that I became "good for nothing" as I no longer had the zeal to excel as I had in the past.

When the Lord revealed this to me a few weeks ago, I knew that it was time to make a decision. I needed to commit one way or another - either leave and move on or commit myself fully. I decided to turn down the lucrative job offer that I had received. I made a conscious decision to stop entertaining the prospect of leaving and to commit myself fully to my current employer and stop wavering, stop doubting.

The result of this decision has been profound. I have a renewed excitement about my work and I am committed to making my company successful. I am now single-focused, committed. What a difference it has made in my own joy in life and my attitude at work. I now look at my work as an opportunity to excel, and I find myself willing to take on new challenges and invest myself in my work. I have more energy than I have had in months. And I am truly happy.

This issue of commitment affects every area of our lives. Perhaps you are experiencing doubt about a relationship or doubt about an activity in which you are engaging. Your doubt will cause a lack of commitment which will make you extremely unhappy and unproductive. I encourage you to determine what you want out of your relationships, your job, your activities and make a conscious decision to give yourself completely to what you believe in. Then you will no longer be "blown and tossed by the wind", but you will be stong and steadfast, living according to your beliefs. Only then can you experience personal joy and fulfillment. Only then will you truly be living.