I Made a Promise to God I Can't Keep - How to Take It Back?

[frenchbread101]

God's will worked out. Thank you everyone for your help!

 

[YJM]

God's will worked out. Thank you everyone for your help!

Mind sharing what decisions you made and what happened?

 

[frenchbread101]

I rather not talk about it. But after prayer and reflection I feel this incident helped me understand what God wants for my life.

 

[Chance7]

I think God sees the circumstances and motivations for your promise and recognizes that your promise was made foolishly. I'm sure He takes that into account in how He regards your promise. Scripture, though, has something to say about making promises to God:

Numbers 30:2
2 If a man makes a vow to the Lord, or swears an oath to bind himself by some agreement, he shall not break his word; he shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth.

I doubt God appreciates you making - or keeping - promises because of your cat's hacking. Recognize that what you did was foolish and disrespectful toward God and determine not to do it again.

As a person who once struggled a lot with anxiety and OCD, I can tell you that your OCD reveals that you have some fundamental misunderstandings about God and your relationship to Him. If you want to be free of your OCD, this must change.

Matthew 11:28-30
28 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."

2 Timothy 1:7
7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

1 John 4:16-19
16 And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.
17 Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world.
18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.
19 We love Him because He first loved us.

Listen to him. This is so true. OCD can make your view of God twisted and final. Every little thing is God’s punishment. Every Bible verse is God’s wrath or terror. And all the good verses “can’t possibly apply to you, your such a sinner”. All lies and all really stunt your Love for Christ. Yes, sin is serious. And yes, God is a righteous Judge. But he isn’t looking to destroy you, constantly. Promises are important but OCD can cause you to make a lot of foolish ones. Trust me on that. The best thing to do is to let everything flow to God in Prayer. It’s better if you also don’t ever make promises. Even ones you think you can absolutely keep.

I am here if you need to talk.

 

[Freedom0401]

French Bread,

(Seems like you have a decent sense of humor with the name : )

First, I want to type a lil' prayer for you...

Father, may you give to this person a freedom that is beyond what they can even imagine right now. The power that these feelings, thoughts, perspectives, experiences, and interpretations have... may it be broken, honestly, in the name of Jesus. Forever. Amen.

French Bread, if it continues to bother you, you can ask God to release you from any words that you have spoken. Then thank Him that He has. Then put action to your faith and talk to this certain person.

Jesus was pleased with the faith of the centurion. He encouraged people to ask, and to believe that they have received what they have asked for (Mark 11:24). Ask to be released. Ask that HE would give you HIS favor.

 

[UnprofitableServant]

I made a foolish promise to God that I wasn't going to talk to a certain person during an OCD spike (I thought my cat hacking was a sign from God telling me not to talk to them). I was half asleep when I made it and now I regret it because I see how ridiculous the basis of the promise was. What should i do? Can you take back promises you make to God that were nonsense are do you have to keep them?

As what has already been shared: You shouldn't have made the vow to begin with. Jesus teaches us not to vow under any circumstances. (Matthew 5:33-37)

That ship has sailed, and you already have made a vow. The best thing for you to do is ask God what He thinks. Were you aware you weren't suppose to make any vows to God? If not, then I think it is fine for you to repent of this, and move on. You weren't aware so you can't be held accountable. However, if you were aware of it, then it may best for you to keep your vow.

Bottom line is to ask God what He wants you to do. Whatever you feel your conscious is at peace with, go with that option.

In peace

 

[Freedom0401]

Great news that everything worked out, French Bread.

For you, or maybe another viewer, I'd like to remind you of the parable Jesus tells after being asked a question from Peter.

Peter wanted to know how many times he was supposed to forgive a brother if he wronged him (Matt 18:21). Jesus responds by saying that we are to forgive "seventy-seven times" (Matt 18:22 ESV). I think many would agree that Jesus did not mean literally 77 times, but rather, we are to be forgiving people.

He then tells this powerful parable about a king who has a servant with a ton of debt. The debt is too large to be repaid (v. 25), so the servant pleads for mercy (v. 26). Then, amazingly, the king releases him from his debt; all of it. Just like that, canceled. What was owed is no longer owed, the servant has been released and forgiven (v. 27).

Dear readers, HE can release us from and forgive us for all our debts, even debts we owe that were made with the tongue!

That doesn't give us the encouragement to continue indefinitely with saying things (promises, or vows or whatever) that we may regret, but it certainly gives us awesome hope that we can be released from what we have said, thereby making it so that we are NOT in sin by going against what we said. This is good news, friends!

Notice there is something else that Jesus points out here; it's huge (vv. 28-35). Since you and I have been released and forgiven, what kind of people should we be, if and when, we, in turn, are wronged? Merciful and quick to forgive. Help us, God, to be merciful and forgiving towards others. In Your Name, Jesus; Amin.