How Overcommitting Steals Your Peace—And How to Take It Back

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Welcome to One Day Out, a weekly newsletter to help deepen your faith, enhance your health, and guide you in pursuing a purpose-filled life.

Opening Prayer

Lord, I pray that you help me be a person of my word. Help me to live with more integrity today, and every day, and that my character will be a reflection of my faith. Thank you for loving and forgiving me even when I fall short. Help me to become more like Jesus, and less like me.

In Jesus’ name,

Amen.

The Moment of Conviction

I started doing a study of the book of James, and I was reading it on the plane on the runway waiting to take off. As I read James 5:12, I was convicted hard. The verse says:

This cut deep. Too many times, I have said "yes" to things I couldn’t fully commit to. Whether it was making plans with my girlfriend and canceling because something else came up, or telling a friend "let’s connect" without any execution, I have fallen short over and over again. I realized that my words had lost their weight. I had become someone who said things out of obligation, not intention. And that led to broken commitments, unfulfilled promises, and ultimately, disappointment.

The Cost of Saying Yes Too Often

Saying "yes" too often led me to:

• Overcommit and underdeliver

• Feel overwhelmed and stressed

• Disappoint others, myself, and most importantly, God

• Lose the integrity and weight behind my words

• Not feel fully present when I actually did commit to something because I was thinking about the thing I should be doing or wanted to be doing instead

If my words don’t hold value, what does that say about my character?

Where This Has Shown Up in My Life

• Saying I’d wake up early, read my Bible, and pray—but not following through.

• Committing to training and setting goals but failing to stick to the plan.

• Telling people I’ll be there for them or that we’ll connect but never making it happen.

• Trying to do it all and ending up never doing any one thing well.

God’s Grace & The Call to Change

Thankfully, God is merciful. He doesn’t hold our past failures against us when we seek Him and strive to be better. This realization has led me to make a change.

How I’m Taking My Peace Back (And How You Can Too)

1. Pause Before Saying Yes – Take a second to ask yourself: Do I actually have the time and energy for this?

2. Be Honest, Not Just Polite – Instead of saying, "Let’s connect soon," say, "I’d love to, but I want to be realistic. Let’s plan for next month."

3. Follow Through or Don’t Commit at All – Your word is valuable. Treat it that way.

4. Trust That Saying No Is Okay – There is power in saying no. Sometimes, the best way to honor God and others is by setting boundaries and following through on your commitments.

5. Pray for Wisdom – If you’re unsure, bring it to God. Ask Him to guide your decisions and give you clarity on where to invest your time and energy.

Final Encouragement

James 5:12 reminded me that our words should carry integrity. When we speak, people should trust that we mean what we say. It’s not just about keeping commitments—it’s about honoring God by being truthful, reliable, and intentional with our words.

So, I’m making a commitment to: ✅ Say "yes" only when I truly mean it
✅ Say "no" when it’s necessary
✅ Stop making empty promises and start following through with action
✅ Be a man of my word

If this resonates with you, I encourage you to take a moment and reflect:

• Are there areas in your life where you’ve been saying "yes" too easily?

• Have you overcommitted or failed to follow through?

Let’s strive to be people who mean what we say and follow through with integrity. Because at the end of the day, our words are a reflection of our character—and a reflection of our faith.

Closing Prayer

Lord, thank you for loving and forgiving me even when I continue to fall short. I pray for discernment to be able to make the right decisions and uphold my integrity. Thank you for the convictions the Holy Spirit places on my heart. I pray that you help me surrender daily to Your will so that I can do the work you set out for me to do.

In Jesus’ name,

Amen.

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