You Can’t Connect If You Don’t Commit - Daily Hope with Rick Warren - August 27, 2023
You Can’t Connect If You Don’t Commit
By Rick Warren
“A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” Proverbs 18:24 (ESV)
Good relationships don’t happen by accident. They take cultivation, work, and a lot of time. They take commitment!
I can’t count the number of times my wife Kay and I have felt like walking out of our marriage, particularly in the early years. We often thought, “This is not worth it. We’re so different. This marriage will never work.”
But we didn’t walk out. Why? Because we’d made a commitment. We took a vow—“till death do us part”—not just to each other but also to God. So we said, “We’re going to keep this commitment even if it kills us.” And it nearly did!
There have been times in our marriage when the only thing keeping us together was that commitment—not love or interest but simply the commitment we made to God. I’m so glad we did not give up. Today, my wife is my best friend, and I cannot imagine my life without her.
The Bible says in Proverbs 18:24, “A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother” (ESV).
Did you know that your socializing can keep you from having deep relationships? You can be so busy networking and making acquaintances that you never invest the time, energy, and effort it takes to cultivate the deep, satisfying intimacy of a good friend or spouse. It’s not wrong to have a lot of acquaintances, but they can keep you so busy that you don’t develop any vital, close relationships.
You don’t need a lot of friends to make it in this world, but you do need a few good ones. So focus on quality, not quantity. Your acquaintances—your hundreds of “friends” on social media—aren’t necessarily going to be there when you need them. But the friends you are truly connected and committed to will be there.
Every important, close connection begins with a commitment. If you want to get beyond shallow, superficial relationships, you’ve got to be willing to stick with it.
PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick
For more Daily Hope with Rick Warren, please visit pastorrick.com!

Let God’s Word Encourage You through Every High and Low
The Life’s Healing Choices Scripture Box and 52 Scripture Cards offer inspiring biblical truth to uplift you and help you trust in God’s promises through every high and low.
A perfect tool to deepen your faith, these specially selected Scripture Cards will fill your day with God’s truth, one uplifting verse at a time.
The Scripture Box and Scripture Cards are our thanks for your gift below to help share the hope of Jesus Christ with people around the world—so request yours when you give today.
Thank you for your partnership!
*The USA IRS code permits you to deduct the amount of your financial gift to Daily Hope that exceeds the fair market value of materials you received from Daily Hope.
This devotional © 2018 by Rick Warren. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
You can listen to Rick Warren on OnePlace.com.