If you stopped by because you read my devotion today over at Encouragement Cafe, WELCOME!   So glad you are here!​​

We recently had a retreat for the ladies who are part of the Encouragement Café team.  The heart’s desire of these ladies is to write devotionals that uplift God and offer encouragement to everyone who reads them.  But just like all women, we struggle with the busyness of life.  We juggle full time jobs or with being full time moms. There’s chores to do, family members to take care of, etc.  We’re just busy.  And it has affected the number of devotionals we are able to submit.

Sometimes I think that beside the definition of “woman” in the dictionary, it should say: “Female person of the human race who stays busy at fulfilling everything related to the needs of the rest of the human race.”

Getting back to my point (instead of ranting), our wonderful leader Luanne, urged us to “Commit to Submit.”  We as individuals in the group need to set aside time to follow the leadership of God and use the talents He has given us.

I thought it very interesting when she came up with that phrase to prod us forward that my word for the year is “submissive.”  I think God is trying to teach me the real meaning of that.

Many think of submission as a negative thing.  Some think that it means giving up their own desires, their hopes, and their right to do anything they want to do.  Unfortunately in the world we live in, it can mean all those things.  But not when it pertains to God.  When we become completely submissive to God, He will faithfully guide us.  He will provide our needs.  He will give us our heart’s desires.  He will bless us beyond measure.

How do we submit to God? By committing ourselves to Him.  By giving our lives to Him and receiving Him as our Lord and Savior.  It’s not just a one-time thing but a daily commitment.  We may be able to get away with being submissive in one area of our lives but not another.  For example, we may submit to our employer but not to our kids.  We can be submissive to our husbands, but not to a friend.

But when we commit to something, it means we are dedicated to fulfilling that commitment until the end.  It doesn’t mean being committed one day and not the next.  (Does the word diet come to mind?)  If we cannot keep that commitment, then we never completely committed ourselves to it.  It takes us giving completely of ourselves to the object of our commitment.

And that is how it should be with our commitment to God.  Wholeheartedly, with no reservation.  We shouldn’t look back and try to figure out how to get around it or out of it.  We just keep looking forward with perseverance and determination.  Is it easy?  Absolutely not!  (Diet?)  But when it comes to Godly things, we can commit ourselves to Him because we do it through His strength, not ours.  He infuses us with the power of the Holy Spirit and we operate out of His power, not our own.  And if we feel ourselves growing weak, we call out to Christ for more strength and He will give us as much as we need.

Is there something you feel God is asking you to do?  Is there a talent or gift He is asking you to use? Whatever it may be, know that He would not ask you to do something that He will not also give you the strength to do.  So in the words of Mama Lu, I urge you to Commit to Submit.

Heavenly Father, thank You for caring about us so much that You gave Your Son to die for us.  Just as Christ committed His spirit into Your hand when He died on the cross, help us to commit our lives to following You to the very end.  Strengthen us to stay submissive to Your will for our lives.  When we start slipping away from our commitment to You, draw us back.  In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.