“Pastor, I made a vow to God that I could not fulfill. Do you think it may be the cause of my challenges?”

A lucid answer to this question isn’t a short note at all, so I hope you’re ready to have a long read😂.

There are very few things God takes very seriously when it comes to His relationship with man, and one of them is a vow. Let’s see how scriptures put it:

Deuteronomy 23:
21 When thou shalt vow a vow unto the LORD thy God, thou shalt not slack to pay it: for the LORD thy God will surely require it of thee; and it would be sin in thee.

Did you see that? If you don’t fulfill a vow you made to God, it would be a sin against Him. In Matthew 5:34-37, Jesus referred to this very scripture and told them that making a vow invites Satan to tempt you, and so it’s better not to engage in it at all. Let’s see how He put it:

Matthew 5:
33 Again, you have knowledge that it was said in old times, Do not take false oaths, but give effect to your oaths to the Lord:
34 But I say to you, Take no oaths at all: not by the heaven, because it is the seat of God;
35 Or by the earth, because it is the resting-place for his foot; or by Jerusalem, because it is the town of the great King.
36 You may not take an oath by your head, because you are not able to make one hair white or black.
37 But let your words be simply, Yes or No: and whatever is more than these is of the Evil One.

Even though making a vow to God is a risk, many important people in the Bible made vows to God and God responded positively to some of them. Hannah made a vow and God responded positively by giving her what she requested. Jacob made two vows and God reminded him of the vows he made to Him. David made vows to God and confirmed that God heard his vows. Apostle Paul made vows.

God Himself also made numerous vows and oaths. Refer to Lk 1:73, Acts 2:30, Heb 3:13, Heb 6:13,17 and He keeps them Ps 89:34, Jer 33:19-22, Num 23:19. He also made covenant vows with people; think of Noah (Gen 9:1-17), Abraham (Gen 15:18-21), and David (2 Sam 7:12-16)(Ps 89:3-4). If He did not keep His vows, we would have to consider Him a liar, right? But we know God cannot lie and therefore we can totally trust Him to do what He has said He will do. One of the reasons why many Christians are so dedicated to God is because they understand that God’s integrity is at stake. He swore with an oath that His word would come to pass as long as we believe it. That oath is the confidence that many of us have in God’s word.

Having said all that, it’s clear that the primary reason why we are told not to make vows or oaths is because of the seriousness of doing so. If we don’t keep them, it will be a sin of falsehood and lying. I doubt if there’s anything God hates more than falsehood. Falsehood is the highest form of betrayal.

Eccl 5:4-6 reads; when you make a vow to God, do not be late in paying it; for He takes no delight in fools. Pay what you vow! It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay. Do not let your speech cause you to sin and do not say in the presence of the messenger of God that it was a mistake. Why should God be angry on account of your voice and destroy the work of your hands?

So yes, it’s possible that the reason why you’re going through challenges is because you broke your vow.

However, knowing that breaking a vow is a sin, there’s no sin that God cannot forgive if you repent. So if you feel that the challenges you’re going through is because of a vow you broke, repent. Once you do, believe that God has forgiven you and start working your way back to the top – by His word.

I hope this has brought enlightenment to someone.

Remain ever blessed, in Jesus precious name!

#EmekaAnslem
#writer
#inspiration
#knowledge
#understanding
#wisdom
#revelation
#trending
#UnthinkableHeights