Rash foolish vows

[Kazu]

Hi everyone I'm new here.

I'm asking for advice about vows.

Some months ago I was in an emotional state and while praying I vowed to God that if he heals me from my various conditions I will renounce my parents, my house, videogames, anime and Japan. When I made them I wasn't fully aware on how vows works.

I kinda forgot about the vows, but was reminded when I reached Deuteronomy (I'm still reading through the bible).

So I searched online, and it seemed like you could repent the vow, I wasn't sure but I continue to play videogames.
After some days I heard a voice in my mind telling me "If you continue playing videogames, I will send a disgrace upon you". So I replied "who are you?", and the voice said "I am God, your creator".
So from that time I stopped completely playing videogames.

After some days while in prayer I said that I didn't want to renounce all those things and that I won't be able to fulfill them.
The next day it happened to me something bad concerning my health, something specific that has really low probability to happen that I think it's a kind of punishment from God.

I was so in a bad state that i confirmed my vows by vowing again kinda the same thing.

The parents and house part is really foolish, there is a reason I vowed to renounce them but it's hard to explain.
Videogames and anime are something that I've always enjoyed, especially videogames. I'm really having hard times seeing myself quitting them completely, even because it's something I enjoy doing with my friends.
Regarding the Japan part, I've always loved Japan, to the point that I've majored Japanese language at university so renouncing Japan it's really hard and I fear it will deeply affect my carrer since my studies. I've put a lot of effort in learning the language, I feel desperate because I vowed in a very vague way.

I think I've ruined my life making those vows. I also think that they are hindering my relationship with Him. Do you guys think that God could set me free of this bondage? Can I break the vows and be forgiven?

Thanks in advance

 

[St_Worm2]

Hi everyone I'm new here.

Hello Kazu, WELCOME TO CF

I'm asking for advice about vows. When I made them I wasn't fully aware on how vows works.

I think I've ruined my life making those vows. I also think that they are hindering my relationship with Him. Do you guys think that God could set me free of this bondage? Can I break the vows and be forgiven?

As far as replying to your OP goes, I thought that I'd start here. The answer to your last question is "yes", you can break the vows that you made and God will forgive you if/when you ask Him to

~All~ of the sins and blasphemies that we commit as believers are forgivable, except for the one, the unpardonable, "blasphemy of the Holy Spirit", of course .. e.g. Mark 3:28-30, but many/most believe that that particular sin can no longer be committed today (or at least not by a believer anyway), so don't worry about that

Just ask the Lord to forgive you and He will do so .. e.g. 1 John 1:9, and repent (IOW, don't make those types of emotional/flippant vows or promises to Him again in the future). Then get up and get back to your walk with Him, ~KNOWING~ that you have been forgiven (whether you "feel" forgiven in the moment or not), because that's what He promised He would do

There are a couple more things that I'd like to reply to from your OP, but I'll do that in my next post.

God bless you!! (1 Thessalonians 5:23-24)

--David

 

[St_Worm2]

Some months ago I was in an emotional state and while praying I vowed to God that if he heals me from my various conditions I will renounce my parents, my house, videogames, anime and Japan.

Hello again Kazu, not that renouncing those things (or renouncing anything else for that matter) would have worked with God the way that you were hoping that it would, but why do you believe He'd want you to renounce them? After all, none of them are sinful in and of themselves.

I kinda forgot about the vows, but was reminded when I reached Deuteronomy (I'm still reading through the bible).

That's GREAT!! Keep up the good work/stay in His word ..

The "truth" (found in the Scriptures) is the principal means that God uses (under the guidance of the indwelling Holy Spirit) to "sanctify" us (to make us more and more Christlike/less and less sinful throughout our lives here) .. e.g. John 17:17; Romans 12:2; 2 Timothy 3:16-17, and as the Lord Jesus also tells us, the truth will set us free .. e.g. John 8:31-32.

After some days I heard a voice in my mind telling me "If you continue playing videogames, I will send a disgrace upon you". So I replied "who are you?", and the voice said "I am God, your creator". So from that time I stopped completely playing videogames. After some days while in prayer I said that I didn't want to renounce all those things and that I won't be able to fulfill them. The next day it happened to me something bad concerning my health, something specific that has really low probability to happen that I think it's a kind of a punishment from God.

That's not how God operates in this world today. He doesn't punish us for our sins on this side of the grave (ESPECIALLY believers, because He has already forgiven all of our sins in Christ, so there is nothing left for Him to punish us for .. again, even if He actually did that sort of thing, which He does not ).

God doesn't condemn us in the manner that you've just described, so if you hear something like that again, be sure to remember that it is NOT from Him, and that you should take that thought "captive" immediately by REFUSING to listen to or believe it .. 2 Corinthians 10:5, because it is not coming from God.

By doing so, by continually growing in the knowledge and understanding of God and His word, you will quickly know which of your thoughts/feelings are opposed to the truth/God's truth, and thereby, which thoughts/feelings need to be REFUSED or taken "captive" as soon as they enter your mind.

Finally, refusing to believe/taking captive all of our thoughts & feelings that are opposed to God's truth is actually the principal way that we obey another command from Him, a command that comes with a wonderful promise attached to it.

James 4​

7 Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil ... and he will flee from you. ​

God bless you!!

--David

 

[timf]

Can I break the vows and be forgiven?

We live in a time period called the dispensation of grace. In the previous period of time the nation of Israel was commanded by God to keep the laws given to them by Moses. Law keeping was appropriate for the nation of Israel under the first covenant.

Our relationship with God today is by grace and not by law. As a result, making vows and keeping laws is not appropriate. Rather, choosing to go through life (walking) by the Spirit of God is more appropriate. You can find more information on this with a free pdf booklet called "walking by the Spirit" here;

http://christianpioneer.com/ebooks/wbts.pdf

The booklet can be viewed as web pages (useful for cell phones) here;

Christian Pioneer - Current blog

Christian Pioneer - Ebook for cellphone - The Leaven of the Pharisees

christianpioneer.com

 

[Kazu]

Hello again Kazu, not that renouncing those things (or renouncing anything else for that matter) would have worked with God the way that you were hoping that it would, but why do you believe He'd want you to renounce them? After all, none of them are sinful in and of themselves.


That's GREAT!! Keep up the good work/stay in His word ..

The "truth" (found in the Scriptures) is the principal means that God uses (under the guidance of the indwelling Holy Spirit) to "sanctify" us (to make us more and more Christlike/less and less sinful throughout our lives here) .. e.g. John 17:17; Romans 12:2; 2 Timothy 3:16-17, and as the Lord Jesus also tells us, the truth will set us free .. e.g. John 8:31-32.


That's not how God operates in this world today. He doesn't punish us for our sins on this side of the grave (ESPECIALLY believers, because He has already forgiven all of our sins in Christ, so there is nothing left for Him to punish us for .. again, even if He actually did that sort of thing, which He does not ).

God doesn't condemn us in the manner that you've just described, so if you hear something like that again, be sure to remember that it is NOT from Him, and that you should take that thought "captive" immediately by REFUSING to listen to or believe it .. 2 Corinthians 10:5, because it is not coming from God.

By doing so, by continually growing in the knowledge and understanding of God and His word, you will quickly know which of your thoughts/feelings are opposed to the truth/God's truth, and thereby, which thoughts/feelings need to be REFUSED or taken "captive" as soon as they enter your mind.

Finally, refusing to believe/taking captive all of our thoughts & feelings that are opposed to God's truth is actually the principal way that we obey another command from Him, a command that comes with a wonderful promise attached to it.

James 4​

7 Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil ... and he will flee from you. ​

God bless you!!

--David

View attachment 324877​

Thank you David for taking the time answering me! Your comments are really helpful!

God bless you!

 

[Tolworth John]

Some months ago I was in an emotional state and while praying I vowed to God that if he heals me from my various conditions I will renounce my parents, my house, videogames, anime and Japan. When I made them I wasn't fully aware on how vows works.

God does not want us making vows, promises, oaths etc etc.
He wants us to live wilingly for him.

So as 1John1:9 says tell God you've done a silly thing. Ask him for forgiveness.

Don't just read the OT, alternate with three OT and one NT chapters a day.

try Matthew5:33 “Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath, but fulfill to the Lord the vows you have made.’ 34 But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; 35 or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. 36 And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. 37 All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.

 

[Kazu]

Don't just read the OT, alternate with three OT and one NT chapters a day.

Thank you for answering.
The logic thing to do was reading the Bible from the Old Testament, but in fact at the moment I'm reading the New. Thank you for this advice

 

[Diamond7]

I won't be able to fulfill them.

God wants us humble before Him.

Luke 18 13 But the tax collector stood at a distance, unwilling even to lift up his eyes to heaven. Instead, he beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner!’ 14 I tell you, this man, rather than the Pharisee, went home justified. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”…

 

[Sabertooth]

Rash vows, like those in The OP, are often a symptom of OCD. @Kazu, have you been evaluated for that by a psychiatrist?

 

[Hazelelponi]

Hi everyone I'm new here.

I'm asking for advice about vows.

Some months ago I was in an emotional state and while praying I vowed to God that if he heals me from my various conditions I will renounce my parents, my house, videogames, anime and Japan. When I made them I wasn't fully aware on how vows works.

I kinda forgot about the vows, but was reminded when I reached Deuteronomy (I'm still reading through the bible).

So I searched online, and it seemed like you could repent the vow, I wasn't sure but I continue to play videogames.
After some days I heard a voice in my mind telling me "If you continue playing videogames, I will send a disgrace upon you". So I replied "who are you?", and the voice said "I am God, your creator".
So from that time I stopped completely playing videogames.

After some days while in prayer I said that I didn't want to renounce all those things and that I won't be able to fulfill them.
The next day it happened to me something bad concerning my health, something specific that has really low probability to happen that I think it's a kind of punishment from God.

I was so in a bad state that i confirmed my vows by vowing again kinda the same thing.

The parents and house part is really foolish, there is a reason I vowed to renounce them but it's hard to explain.
Videogames and anime are something that I've always enjoyed, especially videogames. I'm really having hard times seeing myself quitting them completely, even because it's something I enjoy doing with my friends.
Regarding the Japan part, I've always loved Japan, to the point that I've majored Japanese language at university so renouncing Japan it's really hard and I fear it will deeply affect my carrer since my studies. I've put a lot of effort in learning the language, I feel desperate because I vowed in a very vague way.

I think I've ruined my life making those vows. I also think that they are hindering my relationship with Him. Do you guys think that God could set me free of this bondage? Can I break the vows and be forgiven?

Thanks in advance

I second what @St_Worm2 and @Tolworth John said, in full agreement.

I would like to expand some, by saying that your not the first person who has fallen in love with an aspect of another culture to the extent you would immerse yourself in it to learn.

Many chef's have fallen in love with cuisine from other cultures such that they have moved overseas for years to study and learn more.

Then, they come back home, bringing with them all they have learned in order to enrich us all - making a career out of it.

Many other cultures from our own have good things about them. Of course we love our culture too, but it's fun, exciting and educational to immerse yourself in another.

My dad always told me, figure out what you love, then figure out how to make it your career and you'll always be happy.

Sounds to me like you found it - so I wouldn't listen to the enemy.. follow your heart. Nothing wrong with that at all.

God loves you and His promises are sure. So trust in God's forgiveness.

You might want to start a thread as to why you would renounce your family - sounds like you might need some family counseling to resolve some issues.

 

[Sabertooth]

@Kazu, here is the ONLY VOW that God wants you to keep.
(And once you enter into it, He is committed to helping you to keep it! )

 

[Kazu]

I second what @St_Worm2 and @Tolworth John said, in full agreement.

I would like to expand some, by saying that your not the first person who has fallen in love with an aspect of another culture to the extent you would immerse yourself in it to learn.

Many chef's have fallen in love with cuisine from other cultures such that they have moved overseas for years to study and learn more.

Then, they come back home, bringing with them all they have learned in order to enrich us all - making a career out of it.

Many other cultures from our own have good things about them. Of course we love our culture too, but it's fun, exciting and educational to immerse yourself in another.

My dad always told me, figure out what you love, then figure out how to make it your career and you'll always be happy.

Sounds to me like you found it - so I wouldn't listen to the enemy.. follow your heart. Nothing wrong with that at all.

God loves you and His promises are sure. So trust in God's forgiveness.

You might want to start a thread as to why you would renounce your family - sounds like you might need some family counseling to resolve some issues.

Thank you for your answer!
Yes, I felt in love with Japanese culture mainly because videogames, and one of my dream is to live in Japan and/or work in the videogame field. Or at least get a job where I can use Japanese language since the effort I put in learning it.

In regard of renouncing the family and the house, it's simpler than it seems. Long story short I'm having a lot of health issues because of toxic mold in my house, and a lot of people with this issue end up going away from home and family because of that. But as I said I was desperate and emotional, and I randomly throw in there also other things to renounce.
If I think of that now I feel really stupid.

 

[Kazu]

God wants us humble before Him.

Luke 18 13 But the tax collector stood at a distance, unwilling even to lift up his eyes to heaven. Instead, he beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner!’ 14 I tell you, this man, rather than the Pharisee, went home justified. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”…

You're right, I surely didn't sound humble.

Thank you for quoting these verses.