Keeping a Promise to Someone You Love

I really would prefer to watch Grey’s Anatomy right now, but I am running out of week and I made a promise to myself to write at least one blog post a week this year. Since it is only the second week of January, it seems a bit early to start re-writing my goals and letting myself off the hook.

Before we talk about whatever scintillating topic I decide to blog about in a few minutes, please raise your hands if you watch Grey’s Anatomy. Apparently, this show has been on for well over a decade and there are HUNDREDS of episodes. And that is not even me being dramatic this time- there are already more than 300 episodes and they are still making new ones! Although I try to keep up with whatever the cool kids are doing, I somehow missed boarding the Grey’s Anatomy train at the beginning, so now I am catching up. I am only on Season 3 so, no spoilers, please.

Here is my diagnosis so far; literally everyone on this show needs a life coach, a mommy and Jesus. Except maybe George. I really like his mom, and I’m willing to give him a bit of a pass while he is grieving the loss of his dad. I have high hopes for him, but he better straighten the heck up very soon or I shall have to give him a hug and a stern talking to.

The problem with living in Netflix world is access to entertainment is limitless. Someone recommends a great new program to watch every day, and our childhood favorites are available again at the click of the remote. We can rest, relax, escape or procrastinate endlessly! With two children who are or who hope to be professional storytellers, the amount and variety of content at our fingertips is encouraging and I am in full support.

BUT, back to the promise I made to myself- operative word, to myself. I’m finding that most of us are much more likely to break a promise to ourself, to let ourselves down, than we are to let others down. It has certainly been the case for me. If I think you are counting on me to get something done, I will usually try my best to follow through and finish the task. If you believe that I will be disappointed if you forget to make the call, you are likely more motivated to get it done. Accountability to someone else is a powerful motivator.

But what about the deal you made with yourself in the quiet of your own mind? The dreams you promised to fulfill someday? The goal you want to pursue that no one else knows about? How likely are you to stick with it and get it done? What if the only one you are accountable to is you? And maybe God?

Today I had the absolute joy of sitting in a bible study circle with a group of women at my church, something I have done hundreds, possibly thousands of times over the last twenty years. But today was different. As we discussed the words God used to speak to us in our personal study time over the previous week, the scriptures and illustrations we read, and the questions we answered, we were referencing a pretty little book called Being Brave.

The book we were holding in our hands started as a whisper of an idea, a dream in the heart of one particular Princess of Procrastination who for many years, more often than not, was in the habit of letting big plans die from neglect.

But this time she didn’t. She made a promise to herself and showed up day after day until it was done. This time, she didn’t let herself down. she decided she was a person who keeps promises to the people she loves, including herself.  She decided she was a person who keeps promises to the people she loves, including herself. Click To Tweet

And that ultimately led to today. I thought that opening that box and finally seeing those beautiful final copies would be the greatest moment of joy. Look God, we did it!!  But holding the book in my hand paled in comparison to seeing the women in bible study today encouraging one another, naming each other brave, and talking about God’s faithfulness, while holding the book in their hands and pointing to the passages they underlined during their quiet time with their Abba Father. I just sat there watching with a big, stupid grin on my face, marveling at the privilege of getting to witness this first hand.

I’m not sharing this with you to pat myself on the back. This is God’s book, it was all His idea, and He gets all the glory for anything good that comes from it. Yet today, as I once again considered the commitments I am making to myself in this new year, the big things and the little tiny baby steps I want to take in the areas where I am still stuck, I thought about the joy I felt in seeing what God can do when I say yes and keep my promises.

So I turned off Grey’s Anatomy and I wrote this post instead. First things first.

Of course, now you know that I promise to write a blog post once a week, so send me your ideas! And now I get to go find out if Christina and Burke really get married. 🙂

In the comments below, would you be brave enough to share one promise you have made to yourself? I would love to pray for you!