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

[Catherineanne]

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?

If you make a vow because of OCD God will not hold you to it. Vows have to be made freely but vows made as a result of OCD are not made freely; they are a compulsion.

In law vows made under compulsion do not have validity. The same applies to God. He will not hold anyone accountable for the symptoms of a condition that are not in their control. Whatever you said does not have the status of a vow, therefore. Not a bit. It is a symptom of OCD, not a vow.

You have nothing to worry about; carry on talking to your friend.

 

[MyGivenNameIsKeith]

How can I politely tell the person I can't speak to them any more

Be honest. Explain that you do treasure time past (I assume) but since they are not willing to adhere to a more godly path, the fact that their presence tempts you to sin, you can no longer be friends. It is out of love for them that you are being honest and not lying to them. If they were, say, a new person in Christ....it would be a different person and you could talk to them? That's the objective. Sometimes taking the bold initiative is the right path, even though it's painful. But be kind about it. Though you may not speak to them, it doesn't mean that you have to stop caring about them. You just don't allow it to control you anymore. God will help you reconcile it when the time is right. After all, we are in the spirit of unity as believers.

 

[Stormy]

If you actually made a promise to God, then you should keep it.
There must have been a reason that you brought the power of God into your relationship with said person. Did you feel this is what would be pleasing to God and further your walk with him?

I personally would weigh my desire for the person and my relationship with God... And decide with one I wish to honor

 

[nonaeroterraqueous]

Reminds me of a familiar story:

Judges 11:30-39

If you promise to God to do an evil thing, then will you be punished for breaking that promise, or punished for doing the evil thing that you promised? That is the essence of the matter. Either one makes a man guilty, but both do not cause the same level of harm.

 

[frenchbread101]

How can I explain my promise to the person so they understand why I can't speak to them any more? I don't want to tell them my cat hocked and I panicked and told God I wouldn't talk to them anymore. that makes me sound nutty!! there was really no reason why I should cut off this person but I felt it was God leading me. I don't know if it was or if it was my ocd making me feel like He was. I'm sad I can't speak to that person but a promise must be kept

 

[YJM]

I don't see what the big issue is here - God knows that we're silly, weak confused kids...all of us (even the ones with a smart mouth and smarter theology). He's not an ogre...he's your Dad. Tell him you made a promise based on the dumb cat, got confused and are feeling a bit like a goofball. Before you even PRAY the prayer you can bet that your heavenly Dad is nodding and saying "Yep....knew it...no surprise here at all"....and he's smiling, not glaring.

Stop beating YOURSELF up. It's not a big deal.

Walk in love towards the other person which means speaking to them and building a relationship.

Chill out, relax. Stop being so hard on your self and start seeing God the Father as a gentle, patient DAD who loves spending time with all his kids, even the silly ones

 

[frenchbread101]

I wish my view of God was as warm as yours lol. thank you

 

[Daniel Marsh]

God understands your OCD better than you do, or anyone else does for that matter. He understands that it will push you into making deals like this involving promises, to keep yourself sane and manage situations that provoke anxiety. Jesus is bigger than all of that - he gets it, he understands. Just trust him. He knows your heart and your intention - you are forgiven, move on.

Tom, I am sure OCD is harder than many others here,

James 3
My friends, not many of you should become teachers. As you know, we teachers will be judged with greater strictness than others. 2 All of us often make mistakes. But if a person never makes a mistake in what he says, he is perfect and is also able to control his whole being. 3 We put a bit into the mouth of a horse to make it obey us, and we are able to make it go where we want. 4 Or think of a ship: big as it is and driven by such strong winds, it can be steered by a very small rudder, and it goes wherever the pilot wants it to go. 5 So it is with the tongue: small as it is, it can boast about great things.

Just think how large a forest can be set on fire by a tiny flame! 6 And the tongue is like a fire. It is a world of wrong, occupying its place in our bodies and spreading evil through our whole being. It sets on fire the entire course of our existence with the fire that comes to it from hell itself. 7 We humans are able to tame and have tamed all other creatures—wild animals and birds, reptiles and fish. 8 But no one has ever been able to tame the tongue. It is evil and uncontrollable, full of deadly poison. 9 We use it to give thanks to our Lord and Father and also to curse other people, who are created in the likeness of God. 10 Words of thanksgiving and cursing pour out from the same mouth. My friends, this should not happen! 11 No spring of water pours out sweet water and bitter water from the same opening. 12 A fig tree, my friends, cannot bear olives; a grapevine cannot bear figs, nor can a salty spring produce sweet water.

The Wisdom from Above
13 Are there any of you who are wise and understanding? You are to prove it by your good life, by your good deeds performed with humility and wisdom. 14 But if in your heart you are jealous, bitter, and selfish, don't sin against the truth by boasting of your wisdom. 15 Such wisdom does not come down from heaven; it belongs to the world, it is unspiritual and demonic. 16 Where there is jealousy and selfishness, there is also disorder and every kind of evil. 17 But the wisdom from above is pure first of all; it is also peaceful, gentle, and friendly; it is full of compassion and produces a harvest of good deeds; it is free from prejudice and hypocrisy. 18 And goodness is the harvest that is produced from the seeds the peacemakers plant in peace.

 

[frettr00]

I wouldn't worry about it. I made promises to God in my youth that I didn't live up to either.

 

[Catherineanne]

it doesn't matter. it's hard for me to explain and the contexts of it are very embarrassing to begin with. I think I want to keep my promise because I can't bear to feel like I've sinned or let God down.

You have not sinned and you have not let
God down. It is not a sin to have OCD.

 

[Catherineanne]

I do believe God is serious about all sin, no matter how it was commited. I shouldn't have made the promise and now I feel I must keep it.

It is not a sin to have OCD.

You are fine; your vow has no standing. God wants you to have friends and be loved, the same as anyone else.

 

[YJM]

I do believe God is serious about all sin, no matter how it was commited. I shouldn't have made the promise and now I feel I must keep it.

It seems that your mind has been made up all along despite many people giving you sound scriptural advice - so what's the point in asking for help if you're determined to ignore it?

 

[Catherineanne]

It seems that your mind has been made up all along despite many people giving you sound scriptural advice - so what's the point in asking for help if you're determined to ignore it?

OCD is like that. It takes time and patience to break through compulsive thinking. If you think it is bad on our side, consider what it must be like to be on the other side. We only have to stay faithful, and stay beside those who have this condition, quietly repeating the truth of God's mercy for as long as it takes. When we get bored we can go away and make a cup of tea, read a book, watch telly; anything we like.

Those with OCD have to wrestle with it daily and hourly. They cannot walk away.

Compassion, my friend.

 

[Gregory Thompson]

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?

Lots of people sing songs on Sunday and don't mean it, and continue on with no change at all. God knows your heart, and is kind.

 

[frenchbread101]

It has been taken care of now, I prayed for forgiveness. I feel God may have allowed me to make the promise to guide me away from said person. I think He does not want me to know them. Thanks everyone for the help.

 

[Catherineanne]

If you actually made a promise to God, then you should keep it.
There must have been a reason that you brought the power of God into your relationship with said person. Did you feel this is what would be pleasing to God and further your walk with him?

I personally would weigh my desire for the person and my relationship with God... And decide with one I wish to honor

If someone threatened you with a weapon and you made a promise to God, would you feel compelled to keep the promise once that person is safely arrested and in prison?

Promises made under compulsion are NOT the same as promises freely given. God will NOT hold anyone accountable if any promise is made under compulsion.

 

[Catherineanne]

It has been taken care of now, I prayed for forgiveness. I feel God may have allowed me to make the promise to guide me away from said person. I think He does not want me to know them. Thanks everyone for the help.

It was not a promise. You have thrown away a friend for nothing. This is nothing to do with God taking that friend away; don't blame him. Blame the OCD.

Keep doing this and you are going to end up very lonely.

 

[ralliann]

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?

Well, first might any of the following apply?
3 If a woman also vow a vow unto the LORD, and bind herself by a bond, being in her father’s house in her youth;
4 And her father hear her vow, and her bond wherewith she hath bound her soul, and her father shall hold his peace at her: then all her vows shall stand, and every bond wherewith she hath bound her soul shall stand.
5 But if her father disallow her in the day that he heareth; not any of her vows, or of her bonds wherewith she hath bound her soul, shall stand: and the LORD shall forgive her, because her father disallowed her.
6 And if she had at all an husband, when she vowed, or uttered ought out of her lips, wherewith she bound her soul;
7 And her husband heard it, and held his peace at her in the day that he heard it: then her vows shall stand, and her bonds wherewith she bound her soul shall stand.
8 But if her husband disallowed her on the day that he heard it; then he shall make her vow which she vowed, and that which she uttered with her lips, wherewith she bound her soul, of none effect: and the LORD shall forgive her.
9 But every vow of a widow, and of her that is divorced, wherewith they have bound their souls, shall stand against her.
10 And if she vowed in her husband’s house, or bound her soul by a bond with an oath;
11 And her husband heard it, and held his peace at her, and disallowed her not: then all her vows shall stand, and every bond wherewith she bound her soul shall stand.
12 But if her husband hath utterly made them void on the day he heard them; then whatsoever proceeded out of her lips concerning her vows, or concerning the bond of her soul, shall not stand: her husband hath made them void; and the LORD shall forgive her.
13 Every vow, and every binding oath to afflict the soul, her husband may establish it, or her husband may make it void.
14 But if her husband altogether hold his peace at her from day to day; then he establisheth all her vows, or all her bonds, which are upon her: he confirmeth them, because he held his peace at her in the day that he heard them.
15 But if he shall any ways make them void after that he hath heard them; then he shall bear her iniquity.

 

[frenchbread101]

I'm feeling better now. I prayed for forgiveness. In the heat of the moment my fears got the best of me and I was worried God was going to punish me. Now I feel like what happened was a blessing as I found out some things about the person I didn't know and I don't think it would be a good idea to continue to talk to them anymore. it's not to say I won't talk to them from compulsion ever again, but I just feel like God might have led me to think about things.

 

[Blade]

lol...just repent and keep going. I am so moved at the fact.. you made a promise to God and this ONE promise you messed up.. didnt keep it.. really bothers you. To be a man/woman of our word. He does not condemn you in any way. Never feel guilty. I made many and never keep them. Then never think twice. He? Never said a word. You made me remember what was like to CARE about ONE promise to my Father. WORDS are .. well we will answer for every idle word. I think you would shocked at how happy He is with you.

This what you say.. shines so bright for me. Thank you.. My advice of which you never asked. Nor have I said this to anyone.. Dont change that part of you. Be a man/woman of your word.. you will see wonders from your Father.. just believe