How Soon We Forget

Have you ever been in a frightening situation where you felt compelled to cry out to God for help and promised Him you would do anything He wanted you to do?  I think most everyone, at some time in their life, has done this.  They may even have prayed, “If You get me out of this mess, I’ll never do it again.”  I wonder if they kept their promises.

It is shameful how soon we forget the vows we make to God when situations finally become less turbulent or threatening.  After a while, these promises can lose significant value in one’s mind, having less emphasis and quickly fading in memory.  They then make their way to the dead-file of the brain.

We should not make promises in the present and then forget to do them in the future.  It is a grievous thing to promise something to God or anyone for that matter, and then renege on the promise.  I am sure God frowns on such things.  It is better to not make a promise than promise something and then break it. 

Anyone can justify their lack of diligence regarding accountability, by saying, “I forgot.”  But does this make it right or does it justify irresponsibility?  I think not.  How soon we forget.  This probably applies to most everyone, so we should all pray for forgiveness.

Allow me to call this lack of follow-through for what it really is.  I believe it is a lie.  My prayer is this, “God, help me not to lie to You or to anyone else.  And help me to always do what I say I will do.”

I feel strongly that it is unacceptable to say, “I’ll pray for you,” and go away and fail to pray for that person.  Any excuse they tell themselves for not praying is shallow at best when they try to soothe their own conscience. 

In essence, I believe they are saying within themselves, “I was too busy with more important things.”  Bottom line, they didn’t do what they said they would do.  How soon we forget.

I could think of a hundred excuses if I failed to fulfill a promise to God or someone needing intervention.  I am sure none of these excuses would hold water with God.  Good intentions do not get the job done, but follow-through does, with the Lord’s help.

The road that fails to demonstrate honesty and integrity is always paved with good intentions.  Accountability must enter the situation at some point.

We should count it a privilege if we are in the right place at the right time to listen to another person’s woes.  I would be remiss to not remember where boldness to witness and a sensitivity to discernment come from.  Almighty God is our source, but how soon we forget.

If we become lax in our devotions and prayers to God, we can lose His inspired words.  It is the Spirit of God that draws souls to Himself.  It is not a person’s good looks, or how intelligent or spiritual they perceive themselves to be.  It is God.

It can become easy to use empty, fill-in words that sound good in the moment, while hoping they show empathy and a spirit of caring to a person in need.  If there is a lack of true, inspired concern, words become cold and passive.  They have little power to lift and encourage a person’s spirit or convince them of their need for Christ.

The absence of a Spirit-filled encounter with someone is like spewing the following words in passing, “How are you?”  It’s a cliché at best.  It is habit and is what people say in general.  Mediocre concern may happen in the moment, but anything long-term, especially if it means going out of one’s way to help, can cause some people to back out and go the other way. 

It is sad when people, because of busy schedules or other excuses, become so entangled in non-important things that their prayer life ceases to be foremost, thus coming in second place to what is most important, their communion with God.

Without prayer, words become trite, passive, and scripted, while becoming the norm when trying to witness or be a lifeline to someone.  Sad to say, it is what people have been programmed and taught to say, which sounds spiritual and holy at the time.

To make my point somewhat clearer, consider this cliché?  “It was nice meeting you.”  And then the person goes away asking, “What was their name again?”  Using a cliché gets us by in life, yet the mere, empty guise of sincerity can leave something to be desired.  They appear as gestures of sincerity but are only on the surface in nature.  They lack spiritual depth of God-inspired substance.

(Zechariah 4:6), “…Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the Lord of hosts.”

Shallow words are usually wrapped in skins of false promises and fake goodwill wishes.  Where is God’s anointing?  We need to get serious with God and ask Him for pure, unadulterated compassion for others and a hunger to minister with genuine concern. 

We need to visit the floor in our bedroom, on our knees, and ask God to put a watchman at our mouth that will help us speak Godly words of true and pure encouragement that are from Him.  We need to see, clearly, the importance of follow-through to what we say we are going to do.

I want to be a vessel that when I speak to someone needing council or those that want a sounding board to run something past, that they sense and feel the presence of God in our meeting.

(Matthew 18:20), “For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.”

When I tell someone that I will pray about their situation, my desire is that God, in some way, will be exalted as I lift my voice to Him.  Extending my hand in love and as I speak with a sincere voice of exaltation, these efforts will change lives, because God fills my mouth with words that are not my own.  They are life changing.

Let us put action to our words and allow God to shine through us.  It behooves each of us, if we say we are going to do this or that, we should, assuredly, make every effort to do this or that.  It is our responsibility and duty to move in faith and get the job done.

It should be our honor that God chose us to intercede on behalf of another person.  My dad always told me that my name and words went before me in business and dealing with people.  I am sure this applies to God and the work we are to do in His name.

Dad also exclaimed, “If you say you’re going to do a certain thing, then do it, period!”  I believe Dad’s reference to self-discipline applies to everyday living if we have breath in us. 

God knows my name and He hears every promise I make.  Do you think He expects me to follow through with what I said I would do?  The answer is Yes, beyond a shadow of a doubt.

(Ecclesiastes 5:4,5), “When you make a vow to God, do not delay to pay it; for He has no pleasure in fools.  Pay what you have vowed.”  (Vs 5) “Better not to vow than to vow and not pay.”

May we see our need to draw closer to God and be ready to minister in season and out, every time an opportunity presents itself to do something for Him.  Remember, it is the power of Almighty God that brings the increase.  Positive results will be many. 

The title of this writing, “How Soon We Forget,” does not apply to those that are diligent and moving in God’s grace and power.  Grass will never grow under the feet of any person that is progressing in faith and doing God’s work.

Written by,

Papa Boyd