“Lord, who may dwell in your sacred tent? Who may live on your holy mountain? The one… who despises a vile person but honors those who fear the Lord; who keeps an oath even when it hurts, and does not change their mind.” (Psalm 15:1-4)
Keeping promises is hard.
I’ve been trying to teach my children the value of keeping their word and doing what they say they will do, but even as I teach these lessons, I struggle with following them myself.
It’s so much easier to say yes than no. But sometimes those yeses lead to commitments that we can’t keep.
Like when I agree to a playdate because the kids are staring at me with expectant eyes, all the while my mind is spinning with all that needs to be done—plus the just-added playdate. Then, I find myself guiltily cancelling because I didn’t get it all done.
Sometimes not keeping our promises causes more pain than just some fleeting disappointment. Sometimes, it leads to broken hearts, broken marriages, and broken careers. Even broken faith.
When we trust someone’s word, we trust them. We put our faith in them, expecting them to live up to what they’ve promised. But time and again, we all fall short, breaking our word and other people’s trust. We do this because some promises hurt to keep.
Keeping Promises that Hurt
Promising to bake a cake for your child’s birthday isn’t that hard of a promise to keep. We can all usually swing a box cake, or even just drop by the bakery counter at the nearest grocery store.
But not all promises are so easy. Some demand so much of us that we don’t want to keep them. We are afraid to keep them. It hurts to keep them.
And these are the promises that matter. These are the promises that God is watching us make and watching us keep. These are the ones that He strengthens us for, knowing the trial hones our souls and builds our trust and faith in Him.
Promises like…
Until death do us part.
That was my last drink.
I’m waiting for marriage.
Family first.
I only work at places that share my values.
I won’t do the wrong thing just because it’s the easy thing.
I will never leave you alone.
These promises are not easy ones to keep. Not every day, not through all the ups and downs, and not against the tide of social pressure and our own sin natures.
That’s why they matter. That’s why God cares so much about us keeping our promises, especially the ones that hurt. The ones that take every last bit of energy. The ones that force us to stand against the world and do what’s right. The ones that force us to rely on Him for strength, persistence, and patience.
And who better to turn to than God, who knows exactly how painful keeping a promise can be. After all, He sent His only son to die a painful death to save His people. To save us. He knows what it feels like to proceed with a promise, even when it means the ultimate sacrifice.
As you head into your week, listen for the promises you make. And follow through. Even when it inconvenient. Even when it hurts. Even when it requires more strength than you have. Because God has the rest.
Have a blessed Monday!
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It’s so true! Keeping promises is hard, but oh so important! It’s better not to make a promise than to not follow through. Broken trust is not easy to mend.
(says one who has both broken trust and had her trust shattered in big and little things)
No, it’s not. Sometimes I think we have to feel what it’s like to be betrayed before we can learn to be better with our own promise-keeping. Thank you for reading!
This stepped on my toes! I am very guilty of filling my plate too full and then breaking my promises. I’ve been working to change this in myself, as well as teaching my kids how important it is to honor your word. Thanks for the reminder and encouragement- I needed it!
I’m so glad it encouraged you! It’s hard work keeping promises, as I well know, and even more so teaching our children. God bless!