We have all probably experienced that exhilarating feeling when you first commit to something or someone. It’s like a rush that spreads through your body and lifts you and makes you believe you are capable of anything. That anything is possible and attainable, especially this here thing you have just committed to. And then, time goes by, seasons come and go, and little by little you get further and further away from that feeling you first had. And like a foggy day where you can’t even see a couple feet in front of you, your commitment begins to get clouded. And you forget the feeling you had, the promise you made to yourself, or to another.

And that is the thing about this quote. When we make a commitment, we need to remember how we felt and ensure we have a strong foundation that will keep us grounded and loyal to the commitment we made.

Whether it’s a commitment to yourself, that you’re finally going to work out and make your health a priority, or get yourself out of debt, or the day you spoke your wedding vows and you committed to loving and growing with this person in whatever challenges and triumphs that came, or your commitment to your children, to your friends.

The fact of the matter is the elated feeling will come and go, especially when you are going through a difficult season. So, what do you hold onto to make certain you stay loyal to that commitment, even on those hard days when the mood you were in when you made the commitment is nowhere in sight?

My foundation begins with God. Because life will throw you curve balls and as much as you may want to lay the blame on God, it’s not him. He gives us free will. We decide daily which path we will follow, what choices we make, and whether those choices pull us away little by little or strengthen the commitment we made.

When you break that commitment to yourself, or to another, don’t just give up. Accept that you broke that loyalty and then act on it. Remember where you were at when you started. Be true to yourself and the other (if that commitment involved someone else) and move forward in a way where love and loyalty is at the core.

I love this quote because in difficult times it has helped to remind me of the beauty of relationships and life even when the weather is gloomy and foggy. We decide if we work together with ourselves or against ourselves. And in good times, I smile when I read this because I look back on seasons that I’ve conquered and I realize my foundation is strong. It wasn’t just all on me, I was guided by God and he showed me the way.