Our last key of this series . . . "Determine to Commit" . . . is most crucial in order to make the best use of our previous keys. I struggled over writing this one because I don't want it to be misunderstood, but decided that if I am going to write about having the courage to do what is right I guess I'd better have the courage to write about whatever God was leading me to write about!
I have made a lot of mistakes in my lifetime, but I remember a lesson I learned well once when I did something right.
As a sophomore in college, I made a commitment to avoid drinking alcoholic beverages. (PLEASE NOTE: I am not trying to tell others what to do or making a statement about drinking; just to show how God honored and rewarded me when I kept a commitment!)
The next summer, I found myself living at home with my parents without a job. Although I was privileged to live on a beautiful lake, I couldn't bear the thought of spending the whole summer without any purposeful thing to do. Okay, so I am weird. Whatever . . . Anyway, most of my friends were not around and I needed something to fill my time besides swimming, sunbathing, water-skiing . . . okay, okay, I hear you!
Well, I decided to try out for the local summer theater. The only part that fitted me was a fairly small one, but I read for it and hoped that I could participate in the excitement of a summer production and all that it entailed. But on the way home from the try-outs, my conscience began to prick me. What an uncomfortable feeling, isn't it? I realized that if I landed that part, one scene would require me to appear to drink alcohol. Of course, there wouldn't actually be anything in the glass, but since I had made the sincere commitment to abstain, I couldn't be at ease with even the possibility of suggestion. I quickly decided that my irritating conscience was really overdoing it this time and I was making a mountain out of a molehill, so to speak. Well, overnight, the obnoxious thing (my conscience) grew way out of proportion, and when I awoke the next morning, it was nagging me so much that I faced the fact that if I took the part, it wouldn't leave me alone for months. I had a hard decision to make . . . very hard . . . since I loved acting and would face a boring summer without the theater.
With a sigh of regret, I telephoned the director and explained why I could not accept the desired part. He seemed surprised but accepted my decision.
Regrets haunted me at first, but gradually gave way to peace of mind and I knew for whatever reason, I'd made the right decision.
Well, guess what?!? A couple of days later, the director phoned and said they had changed the play and wanted me to play the leading role in Agatha Christie's drama, "Mousetrap!" Without any hesitation, I accepted with great enthusiasm.
God is soooooooo amazingly good and full of surprises!!! He honors us when we honor our commitments.
A whirlwind of rehearsals began. I swam and sunbathed and read books in the day-time (with households chores interspersed, of course) and nearly every evening, I got to "play." One highlight of my performance was when I needed to let out a blood-curling scream. I have a very soft natural voice, and need to really stretch it to project, so my director wasn't impressed with my scream and gave me the assignment to practice it at home every day. I warned my parents and since we lived next door to a deputy sheriff, I also warned him and his wife, and then went into the bedroom, closed the door and screamed my little heart out. It worked and I improved greatly! :o) I was ready for the two-week, three night a week production and enjoyed it thoroughly!
So the motto of this little story is "Determine to Do What is Right, and give the consequences to God!
See you next Wednesday with a brand new series!
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