5 minute read
Healing Heart and Soul
The Promise Keeper
by Alicia Roberts
Have you ever noticed that promises don’t hold the same weight as they used to? It seems like promises are broken more than they are kept. I remember when it meant something to "pinky promise" or "shake hands and agree." I grew up believing you shouldn’t make a promise you did not intend to keep. However, as time passed, I realized that despite the best intentions, promises are sometimes broken.
As time went by, I learned not to take promises too seriously, but this wasn’t solely because people are imperfect and fall short. Experience taught me that not every request can be fulfilled. And my main reason for not taking promises too seriously was that I didn’t want to set myself up to get hurt.
One of the hardest things for me to accept is being vulnerable and in need and expecting someone to be there, and then they are not. Those times are such a letdown, and it hurts. So, I developed a solution to prevent myself from getting hurt by broken promises again—I learned not to believe entirely in any promise. That seemed like a good solution for not diving off the deep end and trusting people.
Being let down is tough to deal with, especially when you’ve experienced rejection or abandonment. Fully trusting someone to take care of you or step in during your time of need requires you to be fully exposed and open to something out of your control. I decided I wasn’t going to do it anymore. That was until I really needed someone to be there for me.
I came to a point when I really needed someone in my corner to lighten the load on my shoulders, someone I could call and depend on. I needed someone to say, “No worries, you can count on me. I’ll be there to help!” I needed someone who would allow me to take off my superwoman cape for a moment so I could rest. In that moment of assessing my needs, I realized I didn’t have that someone, which made sadness and anger begin to set in as I thought about all those who had not shown up for me.
In my moment of grieving what I didn’t have, I began to wonder when or if I would have a stable figure in my life who would not disappoint me and make every effort to keep their promises to me. Amid my sadness, I began to recount the times I had to navigate situations on my own anyway, and then it hit me—I had started alone, but God had always gotten me through!
As I took a trip down memory lane, I realized that although I was often left to figure out my path for myself, I was never really alone because God was walking with me each step of the way. He was actually steps ahead of me, making provisions and sending resources. In that instance, I realized that I had it all wrong. I’d placed my hope in people and not entirely in the hands of God. How could I have forgotten who the ultimate promise keeper was? It was Jesus!
The Bible provides many treasures and reassurances to let us know that we are not alone and can trust God with all our hearts. Unlike people, the Bible says that the Lord will never leave nor forsake us ( Hebrews 13:5 NKJV). Even when you’ve been let down by broken promises, don’t forget that God never breaks His promises.
If you need some reminders of God’s promises, here are a few that you can hold near and dear to your heart:
Philippians 4:19 NKJV: And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
Ephesians 3:20 NIV: Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us.
John 14:27 NKJV: Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
We worry less when we shift our expectations from people to the Lord. Trusting the Lord gives us the freedom to accept help from others when it is available and still be at peace, knowing that even when "pinky promises" and handshakes fail, we will be okay. You can’t fail when you relinquish your personal control and place your faith in the great Promise Keeper. He will never let you down.
Alicia Renee’ is a resilient woman who has triumphed over heartbreak and life’s challenges. She is a best-selling author, speaker, and certified inner-healing and confidence coach committed to empowering women and helping them get unstuck. She is also the founder of The Confident Lily. Connect with her at www.confidentlily.com
