When Overcommit Works

o·ver·com·mit  

verb

1. To bind or obligate (oneself, for example) beyond the capacity for realization.

2. To allocate or apportion (money, goods, or resources) in amounts incapable of replacement.

Successful leaders have learned to overcommit. 

If you want to do big things, it’s going to take big commitments. You will be stretched and challenged.

I love what Daniel Day Lewis thought 

“I don’t always overcommit but when I do I win the Academy Award.”

According to our definition of overcommit, obligating past our abilities, is exactly what we leaders do and in some cases expected to do in order to succeed! 

Yet, overcommit can be the dumbest thing we do!

What separates being smart and being stupid?

Let's start with one of our favorite verses “Not by power, not by might, but by the Spirit of the Lord.” 

Jesus gave some great life lessons on it.  Just ask the disciples about feeding 5 thousand and then 4 thousand people with no food. How about Peter stepping out of the boat? Was that being overcommitted?  What about the Great Commission, I mean really, going to all the nations, making disciples, healing the sick, baptizing, bringing the Good News everywhere, that’s a huge commitment! 

When we walk by flesh, we overcommit.  When we walk by grace, we walk in His Spirit.  

So how do we tell the difference?

Grace is the ability to do what God has called you to do.  If God has asked you to do it, He will give you the ability, the power, the knowledge, the resources to do it. If He hasn’t asked you to do it, then you use your own ability, your  own power, your own knowledge and your own resources. 

Go back to the beginning and rehearse your reasons why you said “yes” to the ministry. Was it about serving, pastoring?  Was it about healing the broken hearted, setting captives free? Was it about training up a younger generation??  Now look at what your doing, have you strayed outside those deep passions? Then you might be overcommitted. 

Did you stay true to the vision? Then let me ask you something.

Is your faith in God’s ability causing you to overcommit God or you?

I believe when our faith in God’s ability is exercised in our visions and passions we will overcommit God, which He gets a real kick out of.  I know what you are thinking.  I prayed for the lady to be healed, I told her that God would heal her and He didn’t.  You can’t heal her (flesh) God can (grace). Stop focusing on what God hasn’t done and stay focused on what God can do. It’s a discipline and well worth the exercise. 

The world will try to get you to either overcommitted or under commit. Leave a comment on how you stay clear of both traps?  How do you know you have fallen into a trap and what did you do about it?