It's All About Me

How many times have you, or have heard someone make a promise to God like:
God, if you {do, cause, help with} something that makes my lives better, then I promise to {keep His Word, be a better Christian, etc.}.  
Or have an argument {complaining or asking why} in a futile attempt to understand something?
Neither of those things are a good idea really. Unless you want to test God. Do you?
Ecclesiastes 5:2 (ESV)
"Be not rash with your mouth, nor let your heart be hasty to utter a word before God, for God is in heaven and you are on earth. Therefore let your words be few. 3 For a dream comes with much business, and a fool's voice with many words".
How easy it is to lose what one has when he or she tests God by making a promise they cannot keep or getting angry with God because of loss. Testing the Almighty did not work to the advantage of many people in Biblical times. We can start with Adam and Eve then Cain, for instance. They lost their personal relationship with God when questioning His authority. Then there is Job. He was tested by the adversary (Satan) when God allowed it and Job became angry and questioned God’s reasoning. Boy did he get a scolding. The world fell deeper into sin and the only survivors were one family and the animals. Even with starting over, we did not stop questioning God’s motives or making promises.
Today’s “Me” society makes it even worse. Prayers are often heard with the primary concern being of personal regards before others and sometimes are selfish in nature. 2 Timothy 3:1-2 says,
“But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, “
  This is not the full design of prayer nor is it a right way to live. The opening question is usually an act of desperation when all else has failed, especially one caught in a “Me” situation gone wrong. Jesus teaches us care for others before ourselves but He also wants us to make sure our hearts are in the right place first.
“Let no one seek his own good, but that of his neighbor (1 Corinthians 10:24).”
This gets misconstrued on both sides of the coin. Some people get so involved in helping others that they forgo their own personal spiritual life and sometimes cause irreparable damage. Some wait until their lives are completely perfect in their own eyes and have already missed opportunities that God placed before them.   
Even Jesus’ Disciples had a momentary lapse of misunderstanding:
James and John, the two sons of Zebedee, came up to Jesus, saying, "Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask of You." (Mark 10:35 )
So what about the verse at hand? “Be not rash with your mouth” is not speaking with a sharp tongue but forcing an uncalled for if/then condition of the Father’s Love.  Last time I checked, God’s Love for us is unconditional. Maybe the request was done for the personal psyche of the individual forcing themselves into an understanding that they need to be better. Maybe the person wants to test and see if God really hears and answers prayer on their whim. A true Christian understands that God works on His clock, not ours and we cannot force God into an if/then situation because He will create an if/then for us. It would be funny if someone gave Him a situation and God gave a thunderous answer of “If you prove to me that you can keep your promise, then I will do as you ask.” Or even better “You First”.   
God loves us and even in our lowest times is always with us. He sees our pain and knows that we will make rash decisions. It is up to us to listen to the Holy Spirit within us that guides us in His ways to understand that it is all part of the plan.  I know it sounds easier that it is and yes I know it from personal experience. We all question God at one point in our lives but if we just stay quiet and be still even in our deepest agony, we can hear Him speaking to us. God is not the one saying we will never recover and prodding us to end it all, He is the one telling us “I Love You”. 
If there is one thing I ask that you take away is this, “Do not promise what you won’t keep” and also, “listen to your heart, God will hear you.”
Father God Holy Lord,
Be with us as we go about our days and help us listen to You in our hearts and when we read and meditate on Your Words. We are sorry for testing you, Father and ask Your forgiveness. Chide us for our sins as You love us as Your children. Keep us safe in these troubled times and shine Your light upon us so that we may shine before men in Your Word. Thank You Father for all you have done, are doing, and will do in our lives.
In Jesus Name,
 AMEN