When we
consistently fail to commit to another person, it’s never because of a lack of
commitment. Instead, it’s a revelation of who we are truly committed to. Each
one of us is committed to someone. We are either committed to ourselves, or we
are committed to God and others. These are our only choices.
If I am committed
to myself, I can’t be committed to you. At some point, someone has to pay the
price, and when that moment arrives, it reveals who I am truly committed to. If
my commitment is to you, then I make the sacrifice. If my commitment is to myself,
then I make you the sacrifice. Alternatively, I might make the sacrifice but
not for your benefit; instead, I do it for myself so that I can get what I want
from you.
This concept is
powerfully illustrated in the words of Jesus: “You can do all these things
in my name, and I will say, ‘Depart from me; I never knew you.'” This
means that even if we perform acts in the name of Jesus, if our underlying
motivation is self-serving, our actions do not truly reflect commitment to Him
or others. It reveals that we did it all for ourselves.
Love is not about
what we do; it’s about why we do it. Our motivations reveal who we are
committed to. This idea may seem simple but counterintuitive. Once you grasp
it, you can never unsee it.
True commitment
means being dedicated to loving others. Loving others means being willing to
support what we genuinely believe is best for them.
Sometimes, what is
best for someone we love might seem like a lack of commitment because it
requires difficult choices and sacrifices. However, real love and commitment
are about making those hard choices for the right reasons, even if they go
against our immediate desires or convenience.
In contrast, if we
are committed to living a loving life, then we will be committed to what is
truly best for others because we love them, not only if they love us. If it’s
best for them, we support it, and if it’s not, we don’t. It’s never about us.
If we truly love, it’s never because of who the other person is; it is because
of who we are. As long as we believe we are not loved, we won’t be committed.
The truth is Jesus loves you, and you no longer need to fight to be loved. Our
job is to love as He loves us, and when we do, commitment takes care of itself
and us at the same time.
People think love
and commitment are about unconditional support for anything someone wants. That
is not love or commitment. It’s self-love and commitment to self. Love is
selfless; thus, it never supports others being selfish, abusive, or
manipulative. If I love someone, I am the first—not the last—to confront their
selfishness. Just not for my own sake. For theirs.
In essence,
commitment is revealed not through our actions alone but through the
motivations behind those actions. Are we acting out of self-interest, or are we
driven by a genuine desire to love and support others? This distinction is
crucial, and recognizing it can transform how we understand and practice true
commitment.
When we
consistently fail to commit to another person, it’s never because of a lack of
commitment. Instead, it’s a revelation of who we are truly committed to. Each
one of us is committed to someone. We are either committed to ourselves, or we
are committed to God and others. These are our only choices.
If I am committed
to myself, I can’t be committed to you. At some point, someone has to pay the
price, and when that moment arrives, it reveals who I am truly committed to. If
my commitment is to you, then I make the sacrifice. If my commitment is to myself,
then I make you the sacrifice. Alternatively, I might make the sacrifice but
not for your benefit; instead, I do it for myself so that I can get what I want
from you.
This concept is
powerfully illustrated in the words of Jesus: “You can do all these things
in my name, and I will say, ‘Depart from me; I never knew you.'” This
means that even if we perform acts in the name of Jesus, if our underlying
motivation is self-serving, our actions do not truly reflect commitment to Him
or others. It reveals that we did it all for ourselves.
Love is not about
what we do; it’s about why we do it. Our motivations reveal who we are
committed to. This idea may seem simple but counterintuitive. Once you grasp
it, you can never unsee it.
True commitment
means being dedicated to loving others. Loving others means being willing to
support what we genuinely believe is best for them.
