P31 OBS: A woman who won't Quit - Following through when you don't feel like it....AND when you don't know how the story ends

There was something in Chapter 1 that really settled in my spirit.  It was that you have to accept refinement even when you don't know how the story ends.  That's the Million Dollar question that will keep most people from reaching their promised land.  We want to know what will happen before we decide to obey and accept our refinement assignment...but that's not how it works in God's economy.  In his economy, we have to decide to accept the assignment, obey, and then follow through even when we don't know the details of our story.

When I came to Chapter 3 of 5 Habits of a Woman who doesn't quit, I was still thinking this over and when I saw that Habit 2 was following through on commitments despite how you feel, I wanted to dig deeper into the commitment and obedience even when you don't know what's going on and despite how you feel.

Commit To Something....BUT BE CAREFUL

My former employer's motto for this year is to Commit To Something.  I know what they mean. Most people are not committed to ANYTHING.  They are interested but not committed.  The second something isn't as exciting or requires some sacrifice, they are out the door.

In all my Personal Development and Business Development classes they always tell us to go back to our WHY.  WHY did you start?  WHY are you doing this?  WHY did you commit to this?  If your why is strong enough, then you will be committed and not give up every time the going gets tough.  

I think when you Commit to SOMETHING you better be careful of WHO and WHAT that something is.  If you're committed to someone who is not truly committed to you, then you're setting yourself up for failure.  If you're committing to something that is not God Ordained and Goes against your beliefs but you're hoping it works out in the end, then you're committing to misery and quite possibly destruction.

I believe many of us need to start re-thinking our commitments.  WHO and WHAT are we committing ourselves to and WHY are we doing it?

Now I've said on this blog that I want to be married and all that jazz but I'm a commitment phobe. With all of the miserable marriage stories that people like to share, I often wonder why they thought committing their lives to their  particular spouse was a good idea?  In many cases, Stevie Wonder could see that this was not a good idea but they went ahead anyway.  

I often wonder what was the purpose behind them getting married in the first place?  I've heard people say, "Because I don't want to be alone"  Someone else said, "I am getting older and I should be married.  I'm tired of waiting"  A couple people were very blunt and said things such as: "I want regular sex and I'm tired of sex with strangers" and "I need someone to help me pay the bills."  

Now none of these are a strong enough WHY to follow through on their commitments.  Where is the greater good?  I really think to endure such a strong commitment such as marriage that you had better have a deeper reason for your deciding to take those vows.

The Why Matters 

It's not just marriage though.  I just truly believe that the reason so many people allow their feelings to take over and cause them to quit is because they don't know why and they don't know if it's worth it in the end.

I've had all these visions, dreams, prophetic words, and beliefs for the longest.  I really believe them and it's what keeps me committed even though I don't know the end of the story and I want to give up a lot of the time.

With my new business ventures at this moment, my feelings (and quite possibly my bank account) would like me to give up because it's tough.  It's not easy.  I'm having to do things that make me uncomfortable (No kind of scams or anything like that....Never that) and I am having to stretch, grow, and trust God for provision like never before.  I want to quit because it would be easier to get a job from an employer, let him pay my taxes, health benefits, etc. and go on my merry way but I cannot. I just really believe there is a greater purpose to this and when people Message me to tell me how encouraged they are by my blog, posts, and e-mails then I know I'm on the right track.

Even with my whole single life thing, I'm committed to that despite feeling a lot of the time that my stand is pointless and with nothing on the horizon may be fruitless.  In the last couple of weeks though, my thought process has changed a little on that.  There could be things on the other side of the mountain that I have no clue about and my stand of obedience is exactly what I'm supposed to be doing.

Follow through when you don't feel like it...

That's why I love these Bible Studies.  They are very relevant to what we as women go through and they talk about relevant issues.  To some people quitting on boot camps like Nicki did in the book isn't a big deal but since that is my profession, I know it goes deeper than someone who just doesn't want to exercise.  If people give up during an exercise because they say it's too hard and start to make excuses, then you know that's what they do in other areas of life.  It's a deeper issue.  I tell my clients I would rather them try than to just give up on themselves.

Giving up on yourself is a terrible life sentence.  We've got to learn to follow through...even when we don't feel like it!

To God be the Glory!