Why Make a Vow You Cannot Keep?

Have you ever made a vow or a promise with God and not kept it? You have deceived yourself and angered God. The writer of Ecclesiastes speaks on this in the first part of the fifth chapter saying:
Don’t speak impulsively — don’t be in a hurry
to give voice to your words before God.
For God is in heaven, and you are on earth;
so let your words be few.
For nightmares come from worrying too much;
and a fool, when he speaks, chatters too much.
If you make a vow to God, don’t delay in discharging it. For God takes no pleasure in fools, so discharge your vow! Better not to make a vow than to make a vow and not discharge it. Don’t let your words make you guilty, and don’t tell the temple official that you made the vow by mistake. Why give God reason to be angry at what you say and destroy what you have accomplished? For [this is what happens when there are too] many dreams, aimless activities and words. Instead, just fear God! Ecclesiastes 5:1-6 (CJB)
 
We have been taught that God is slow to anger but this is one of those things He detests, the lying tongue. All too often when people are in a rut, need something repaired or forgiven, they vow to make things right in an “if/then” scenario. Those are tests that God does not need us to start. Instead of making a vow, put your trust in God through your faith that He will get you through the things in life that you bring to Him in prayer. Anyone can promise to try to be a better person but the truth is we will fail unless we have the knowledge and understanding that God’s Love and faith in us is where things really matter. He has a never ending love for us and we return that love by being faithful without promises or self-inflicted tests that we would not really pass even when giving it our best shot.
 
Vows That Humble
 
Think for a moment the vows in Scripture that caused anguish. The warrior, Jephthah, vowed to sacrifice the first thing that came out to meet him after a battle ended up sacrificing his own daughter. Hannah vowed to give her only child to the service of God. She was in anguish but God used that to her eventual benefit. Kings made vows that ended badly. Now some were losses to people while others ended up benefiting the nation.
 
There are times in our lives where we make desperate pleas to God that end up being vows to get us out of messes, I am not innocent on that account. God does make good on things but sometimes at what we would see as a cost because of the testing. Our best bet is to not let the words, “I promise”, or “I vow”, to exit our thoughts and mouths in prayer. Instead, Ask God’s forgiveness and take your troubles to God in prayer with the faith and trust that no matter what the issue is, God will get you through it.
 
A Gentle Reminder
 
 God may make you go through some tough things but do not worry for they are for the benefit of His plan for you and for others in your life. Do not speak in desperation things that may actually cause more strife nor of things you know you cannot keep. Just give all our worries and pains to God for that is the best way to get our minds in the right place so we can be open to His plan and make things right through His guidance. Our lives are not our own but God encourages us to make choices and decisions that will work for the spiritual benefit of humankind.
 
May today be the day that you begin to no longer vow or promise things to God but put your entire faith and trust in Him alone that He will guide you to make the right decisions and cause your actions to be for the Glory of His Kingdom not our own. Brothers and Sisters, have a great and blessed day today and every day. Speak of God’s grace and mercy in your life and keep His Word on your heart and lips so that others may know the joy that He brings. Our suffering will not last long but take joy in sorrow and live for Him because He Lives in you.
 
God’s Love and Grace to you,
 Rob