An Unfulfilled Promise

Have you ever heard the phrase don't make a promise you cannot keep? Can such a statement discourage a promise? When a promise fails to materialize, what should you do? I asked these questions because life comes with promises. We make internal promises about careers, goals, etc. We often meet someone and grow some attachments that may lead us to unfulfilled promises. In the case of fulfilled promises, things work accordingly, but what should be done in the case of unfulfilled promises?

First, when dealing with promises, one must define that unfulfilled and denied promises differ. Unfulfilled promises fit into the postponed category until the time is right for the promise to materialize. A denied promise exists as a rejected promise. Remember, it takes time to fulfill a promise, so it is critical to remember that the promisor hardly ever forgets. When I was younger, my cousin borrowed some money from me. Years passed, and he never repaid me. Then, one day, after I had forgotten, he surprised me by paying back the money that he had borrowed. Then, he said, I always pay back my promises. This event caused me to realize that the promisor never forgets his promise. Consequently, the promisee made forget but never the promisor.  

Now, imagine the promisor is God. God never forgets His promises. God's promises are always true. God's promises are everlasting, and He honors them forever. For example, God promised Abraham a son. Yet, 25 years later, God delivered on that promise through Isaac. Therefore, God's timing is nothing like man's timing. Why? God is infinite, but humans think in terms of finite dimensions. I say finite because one may think 25 years is too late to start a family and leave a legacy. Yet, time cannot bind a promise. If God waits for the appropriate moment to fulfill each promise, what about your unfulfilled promises?

God's timing is always perfect, and He delivers on His promises. With that knowledge of God's timing, we need not worry when promises are unfulfilled. An unfulfilled promise is like waiting for a train to come. Even though you know it will arrive eventually, you lack the knowledge of its exact arrival time. However, you wait patiently. Although frustrated, you realize that trust is the only ingredient needed for that train to get there.

As a result, trust rather than concern or worry is the key to unlocking the power of unfulfilled promises.