Telling God you'll do something for Him

[Emerald518]

Hi all. This is a topic that I'm really interested in discussing, as it's been on my mind a lot today lately...

When I first became a Christian, one of the things I was really hyperfixated on was not being a hypocrite because of a specific ministry I believed God had called me to. I knew that by definition, a hypocrite is someone who says one thing and does another and I knew that being one was a horrible sin unto God.

As a result, whenever I told God I would do something for Him, whether it was a decision made out of impulse or not, I thought that my word to Him was binding and that my very declaration that I was going to do whatever it was I said I would was now a commandment that I absolutely HAD to follow through on, even if it was something I couldn't do, so that I wouldn't be a hypocrite when I didn't fulfill it....this mindset caused me a lot of trouble and lead to me making the worst mistake of my life that caused me to run away from God for 8 years....what do I make of this?

 

[Strong in Him]

Hi all. This is a topic that I'm really interested in discussing, as it's been on my mind a lot today lately...

When I first became a Christian, one of the things I was really hyperfixated on was not being a hypocrite because of a specific ministry I believed God had called me to. I knew that by definition, a hypocrite is someone who says one thing and does another and I knew that being one was a horrible sin unto God.

As a result, whenever I told God I would do something for Him, whether it was a decision made out of impulse or not, I thought that my word to Him was binding and that my very declaration that I was going to do whatever it was I said I would was now a commandment that I absolutely HAD to follow through on, even if it was something I couldn't do, so that I wouldn't be a hypocrite when I didn't fulfill it....this mindset caused me a lot of trouble and lead to me making the worst mistake of my life that caused me to run away from God for 8 years....what do I make of this?

There is a big difference between telling God you are going to do something for him, and submitting to him and asking what he would like you to do. In the first example, you decide that it will be a good idea and that God will want/appreciate it; in the latter, it is God who tells you where he is leading you.
I spent too many years doing the former.
I mean, God may bless it, and it could be that you wanted to do it because of some inner nudging, which could be from God. But we are encouraged in Scripture to seek God's will and guidance.

I don't believe it matters if we don't follow through on something we have told God we want to do. It may even be that God is saying "That's ok; I didn't ask you to."

 

[honey badger]

Hi all. This is a topic that I'm really interested in discussing, as it's been on my mind a lot today lately...

When I first became a Christian, one of the things I was really hyperfixated on was not being a hypocrite because of a specific ministry I believed God had called me to. I knew that by definition, a hypocrite is someone who says one thing and does another and I knew that being one was a horrible sin unto God.

As a result, whenever I told God I would do something for Him, whether it was a decision made out of impulse or not, I thought that my word to Him was binding and that my very declaration that I was going to do whatever it was I said I would was now a commandment that I absolutely HAD to follow through on, even if it was something I couldn't do, so that I wouldn't be a hypocrite when I didn't fulfill it....this mindset caused me a lot of trouble and lead to me making the worst mistake of my life that caused me to run away from God for 8 years....what do I make of this?

Jesus said he could do nothing of himself ...

 

[Emerald518]

There is a big difference between telling God you are going to do something for him, and submitting to him and asking what he would like you to do. In the first example, you decide that it will be a good idea and that God will want/appreciate it; in the latter, it is God who tells you where he is leading you.
I spent too many years doing the former.
I mean, God may bless it, and it could be that you wanted to do it because of some inner nudging, which could be from God. But we are encouraged in Scripture to seek God's will and guidance.

I don't believe it matters if we don't follow through on something we have told God we want to do. It may even be that God is saying "That's ok; I didn't ask you to."

Thank you, this makes a lot of sense...I've been kind of realizing lately that back there, while I was saved and knew I was undoubtedly, I wasn't really following Jesus Himself as closely as I should have, but rather laws, commandments, rules and doctrine. I was very legalistic as a new believer as a result of childhood trauma and also trauma from a church I was a part of for the first two years of my walk that taught me that God was abusive, demanding, expected me to measure up and ready to punish me with all manner of Holy Terror if I didn't...I didn't understand that God's love for me was unconditional and that I didn't have to do anything to earn anything from Him and my Christianity was very much performance based.

 

[CoreyD]

Hi all. This is a topic that I'm really interested in discussing, as it's been on my mind a lot today lately...

When I first became a Christian, one of the things I was really hyperfixated on was not being a hypocrite because of a specific ministry I believed God had called me to. I knew that by definition, a hypocrite is someone who says one thing and does another and I knew that being one was a horrible sin unto God.

As a result, whenever I told God I would do something for Him, whether it was a decision made out of impulse or not, I thought that my word to Him was binding and that my very declaration that I was going to do whatever it was I said I would was now a commandment that I absolutely HAD to follow through on, even if it was something I couldn't do, so that I wouldn't be a hypocrite when I didn't fulfill it....this mindset caused me a lot of trouble and lead to me making the worst mistake of my life that caused me to run away from God for 8 years....what do I make of this?

Matthew 21:28-32​

28 “But what do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, ‘Son, go, work today in my vineyard.’ 29 He answered and said, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he regretted it and went. 30 Then he came to the second and said likewise. And he answered and said, ‘I go, sir,’ but he did not go. 31 Which of the two did the will of his father?”​

​

They said to Him, “The first.”​

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Jesus said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you that tax collectors and harlots enter the kingdom of God before you. 32 For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him; but tax collectors and harlots believed him; and when you saw it, you did not afterward relent and believe him.​

The first son did not promise to go out.
The second son did.

The first son changed his mind.
Did the second son change his mind?

Not necessarily. However, you may compare yourself to the second son, thinking, well he promised, but did not keep that promise.
Did Jesus focus on what the sons said, or what they did?
Which of the two did the will of his father?

He focused on what they did.
If you made a promise that you did not keep, does that disqualify you from keeping it? What do you think?
The first son was not disqualified for refusing.

The truth is, God does not take pleasure in the death of anyone - even the wicked. Ezekiel 18:32; 2 Peter 3:9
We still have time to do what God requires.
A good example of that is Manasseh.