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"Trusting God does not mean believing He will do what you want, but rather believing He will do everything He knows is good." – Ken Sande
"And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose" (Rom. 8:28).
Being a mom of three, I frequently hear the question, "Do you promise?" after a request has been made. These words typically make me uncomfortable, so my usual response is, "I will do my best." Why is this, and why do we desire this kind of assurance? Since we are human beings living in a broken world (Gen. 3:6-7) with many external circumstances and unforeseen events, it is likely going to affect the ability to fulfill those promises — often failing those we love, leaving them with uncertainty and doubt, or perhaps leading to broken trust.
In the old covenant (promise), the people of Israel, with the best of intentions, promised obedience: "All that the Lord has spoken we will do" (Ex. 19:8). Yet history reveals time and time again their repeated failure. Just like the Israelites, our attempts and dedication cannot uphold the law. Our human strength will not be enough to meet God's perfect standards.
However, thank you, Jesus, that the new covenant (promise) is anchored in what God alone can do. Be encouraged and take note when you come upon an "I will" or "He will" statement in the Bible — a phrase that appears approximately 4000 times, leading to over 8000 promises throughout Scripture made by God Himself through Jesus or by prophets and other figures. There are countless promises of hope (Rom. 15:13, Ps. 42:5), strength (Isa. 41:10, Phil. 4:13), provision (Deut. 2:7, Matt. 6:31-32), peace (John 14:27, Isa. 26:3), love (Eph. 3:17-19, Ps. 136:1), guidance (Ps. 119:105, James 1:5), redemption (Isa. 43:25, Col. 1:13-14), presence (Ps. 139:7, Matt. 28:20), and restoration (2 Chron. 7:14, 1 Pet. 5:10). Well … that's promising. We have no reason to doubt Him!
While we should keep doing our best in upholding commitments, may we be strengthened and inspired daily by what God vows to each of us through His Word. It is as true today as it was when it was written: He never changes, and He never fails us. God does not make a promise He will not keep, and He has already fulfilled many through our Savior, Jesus. Therefore, we can trust Him: He said so, He does it, and it's true!
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