The Problem with Promises

Interpretations of Experiences Form Beliefs

Our interpretations of our experiences in life result in our beliefs. These beliefs can come from God who alone can give true interpretations, or they can come from our limited mind, sometimes with the help of the enemy. Our beliefs results in expectations about life which lead to behaviors. These behaviors create new experiences which because flowing out of our beliefs, tend to support them, whether good or bad.

Do You Consider Yourself a Sinner?

Therefore say you view yourself as a sinner, as this a common one among Christians because they mistakenly think it is how God views them. God sees you as a saint; you were a sinner. Remember for those who have asked Christ into your life, you are now hid in Christ. However, if you see yourself as a sinner, you may set an expectation that you are going to fail anyway. Therefore in your behaviors you tend to not commit all the way because you assume you will fail. Since you do not commit fully, you do fail and you say to yourself, “See, I am a sinner.”

Calling yourself a sinner, a worm, nobody special is not being humble. Being humble is knowing who God says you are – nothing more AND nothing less.

The Outcome of Viewing Yourself a Sinner

Let’s take the example of seeing yourself as a sinner. If you believe this lie, then you will assume your natural tendency is to sin and you will always fail. After awhile you will get fed up with the cycle of sin, confess, sin, confess, etc., and most Christians make one of two different promises to themselves.

1. I will never tell anyone of my struggles. Your embarrassment pushes you to hide from the what you believe to be true about yourself.
2. I will never do that sin again. You get fed up with the cycle, so you will commit to freedom on your own strength.

The first leads to isolation and depression. The second leads to a Pharisaical lifestyle and separation from God. Neither leads to the freedom offer in Scriptures.

Promises Distance Us From God

In general, promises like these are our own attempts to protect ourselves from the agonizing pain of the lies we believe. These promises are designed to distance us from the pain, but what they really accomplish is to distance us from God. God often takes us to the pain in our lives to reveal the lies of shame, but our promises keep us from going there with Him and thus we are left with the lies that are causing all of the pain.

Our enemy loves to help us keep these promises in place. If our commitment to the promises are ever successful of keeping the pain at bay, the voice of the enemy reinforces the need to keep them. If we are ever not successful, the enemy shames us by making us feel that we need to try harder at keeping our promises.