When Making Promises – 4 Things to Consider

If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love.

─ John 15:10

There are four things we need to consider as we make promises for the future.

1. Make few promises.

It is dangerous to make too many promises. Ultimately, we want to keep the ones we make. It’s much better to make fewer promises and keep them than to make too many and break them.

2. Don’t overpromise.

The temptation to overpromise comes because we want to impress people or to show them we are capable. We want to avoid saying, “I can promise that.” We should strive to only make promises we’re sure we can keep.

3. Make the promises clear.

We need to effectively communicate exactly what we are promising to do. Jesus often made a promise with a condition. And we don’t always like the condition, but we love the promise. When we make these promises, we need to make them clear and communicate any conditions attached to them.

4. Make them realistic.

We often make promises we really can’t keep. Jesus reminded the rich young ruler that what seemed impossible for men to do, is possible with God (Luke 18:24-27). James reminds us to add to our plans, “If it’s God’s will” (James 4:13-15).

Today’s One Thing

You can become a promise keeper. Write down these four things to consider and carry them with you as a reminder to carefully choose the promises you make this week.

Receive Devotionals like This in Your Email