“And another also said, “Lord, I will follow You, but let me first go and bid them farewell who are at my house.” But Jesus said to him, “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” (Luke 9:61-62 New King James Version)

A commitment is to obligate oneself as by a pledge of assurance, to devote or engage oneself to a person or thing. In contrast, being involved just means being associated or a part of something. We must have a made up mind to serve God. When our mind is truly made up, we don’t think back, we don’t look back and we don’t go back. If we pray for this kind of determination to serve Christ, we will receive strength from the Holy Spirit to keep abiding in Jesus and serving Him.

There are people who say they are committed and then there are people who are actually committed. How can we tell the difference?

• Matthew 7:21-23 New King James Version – I Never Knew You – ²¹ “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. ²² Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ ²³ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’

Check out these 4 T’s that apply to anyone who commits to Jesus Christ:

1. Tested (by God)
2. Tempted (by the devil)
3. Tribulations
4. Trials

Everyone who commits to getting closer to Christ will get tested even more. We may not pass every test, but that doesn’t mean we have failed completely. We don’t need to have a pity party when we fail–we must repent and get back up.

• Proverbs 24:16 New King James Version – For a righteous man may fall seven times and rise again, But the wicked shall fall by calamity.

We must continue and keep trying if we want to get the victory. But, we must also be ready to stay committed even when God doesn’t answer our prayers the way in which we wanted them answered. We must keep praying and serving God even when it seems like our prayers are not answered.

• 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 New King James Version – ⁷ And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. ⁸ Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. ⁹ And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. ¹⁰ Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

We must learn to stay the course and be steadfast. Refuse to give up.

• Luke 18:1-5 New King James Version – Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart, ² saying: “There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God nor regard man. ³ Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, ‘Get justice for me from my adversary.’ ⁴ And he would not for a while; but afterward he said within himself, ‘Though I do not fear God nor regard man, ⁵ yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.’ ”

God rewards faith.

• Luke 18:6-8 New King James Version –⁶ Then the Lord said, “Hear what the unjust judge said. ⁷ And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? ⁸ I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?”

Commitment costs. But JESUS is worth it!