Promises are made all the time but less than often kept. There are so many reasons why people make promises and even more reasons and excuses why they break them. Some even seal a promise with the twist of interlocking pinky fingers.
Because of unkept promises, many negative feelings are experienced by the person to which the promise was made. Broken promises often leave the receivers of the promises inconvenienced, discouraged, disappointed, disheartened, downcast or sad. If you have ever been the recipient of a broken promise, how did you handle it? Did you accept the apology of the promise maker, if an apology was given? Did you take into consideration the circumstances of the promiser at the time of the broken promise? Just like that promise maker, you have made promises also. You have also had to break a promise because of an unexpected situation. Hopefully, your apology was accepted. Even with the acceptance of the apology, you probably felt just as bad breaking the promise as the person that you promised felt. So, before you make a promise, be sure that your intent is genuine and it is for the purpose of the promisee. If or when you realize that you cannot keep a promise, communicate with the person to whom you made the promise and rework the commitment that was made with the intent to keep your word. That will be appreciated by both. With that being said, man can let you down intentionally or unintentionally. Even beyond our promises to each other we must try our best to keep our promise to God. The sincere promise to love Him and keep His commandments. We can surely count on Him keeping his promises to us. The promise to protect and provide for us. God is faithful and is a promise keeper. I encourage you to believe the promise that God will never leave you nor forsake you. Just as it reads in Deuteronomy 31:6, “Be strong and courageous! Do not fear or tremble before them, for the Lord your God is the one who is going with you. He will not fail you or abandon you!” That is a promise that God has proven and that you can count on forever. Just as it reads in Joshua 21:45(a), Not one of the Lord’s faithful promises to the family was left unfulfilled. Suggested Verses Malachi 3:6(a) “Since, I, the Lord, do not go back on my promises… Jeremiah 29:11 For I know what I have planned for you,’ says the Lord. “I have plans to prosper you, not to harm you. I have plans to give you a future filled with hope”. Psalm 106:12 They believed His promises; they sang praises to him.
Just think of all of the times that we promise God that if He gets us out of this one, we won't do it again. Yet, we do it again. Thank God for His brand new mercies everyday (Lamentations 3:22-23) and for remembering that our frame is dust (Psalm 103:4)! The way we want God to forgive us is the way we should forgive others (Matthew 6:12). Sometimes, a person may make a promise knowing that they have no intention of keeping it. God's word in Ecclesiastes 5:5 says, "Better not to vow than to vow and not pay." (NKJV)