MAKING IT STICK - James MacDonald

"If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind." - James 1:5-6

How do you make it stick? How do you make your commitment to follow the Lord withstand the beating of the wind and waves of life? I want to keep submitting my life to God - but how do I do that? Great question.

If you're like me, sometime in the past you've given something to God in full surrender only to wake up the next day with it back in your hands. "I gave this to God - what's it doing back here?"

On day one, I surrender to God that difficult something that threatens to take me under or at the very least, get the best of me. "Here it is, God. Take it. Help me." On day two - without even realizing it - "I'm back in charge again. I'm nurturing my own set of rights and privileges. So back on my knees I go, submitting again to God. Here I am again, God. My life is yours. Not me, but You."

So the big question is, how do you stay there? I have found that the only way to maintain my submission to God is through believing prayer. Back on my knees, I give it back to God.

James 1:6-8 says the doubting Christian is "like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways." The opposite of doubt is faith: standing on solid rock when the storm beats you from all sides. Believing prayer says, "Here I am again, God. I'm standing here on this rock. All the pressures of life and walking by faith are still as strong, but I'm still standing here.

"If you recognize you're in a time of battle, you need to be standing on that rock and praying like you've never prayed before. You know you need God's sustaining grace. Surrender once again to God. Get up from your work, step aside from whatever you're doing, bow your head at the traffic stoplight - wherever you are - give your burden to the Lord this moment, and day by day, and week by week. You can maintain your submission to God only through believing prayer.

Recommit your life to the Lord in unwavering submission to God by coming back to the throne of grace again and again.