Tea Time with Tina THE PROMISE KEEPER
written by Tina Gallo Some years ago, I made a covenant with someone I had shared my secrets and dreams with for years. This was someone I should have been able to trust completely. We did life together, and I believed with all my heart I could rely on this person, but a promise that was made to me was reneged on and broken. At first I was shocked, but then the pain of betrayal set in, leaving me completely numb. My shock quickly turned to anger and regret. Anger that I had been betrayed and regret that I had trusted this person in the first place. Feelings of brokenness from a bleeding heart filled my long days, followed by the constant pondering of questions that flooded my mind. How would I ever trust again? Why was I so blind? Broken promises hurt! They deeply wound, having the potential to sever relationships forever. Anyone can make a promise. A promise is a pledge, a declaration or assurance that one will do a particular thing or ensure that something specific will happen. We give our word with a commitment, entering into a covenant that holds ‘real value’ that should be linked with honor and faithfulness. But truthfully, how many of us have actually kept every promise we’ve ever made? We are all guilty of letting one another down, of failing to perfectly keep our word. Our word is a statement of our status as a person, proving our credibility and authenticity. I remember my dad telling me that he grew up in a time when a person’s handshake was as solid as their word. From my father’s perspective, there was a time when a bond of loyalty was a common and expected element in relationships. Unfortunately, the value of our words is becoming more flippant, emotionally reacted upon, and charged. We have seemingly lost the value of our word over time in society. The truth is we live in a tough world where it is inevitable that we will face struggles and heartache throughout our lifetime. Life is challenging; people WILL let us down and promises will be broken. As much as we may try to keep our word to others, unfortunately, we may fall short 36
of carrying out our promises. It is only a matter of time before each of us experiences betrayal. Breached trust deposits disappointment into our souls and, if we are not careful, we will provide a permanent resting home for discouragement to rankle. If someone you love has broken a promise to you as they did to me, you may feel stuck with a broken heart, wondering how you will ever move forward in trust again. The devil would like you to think that all is hopeless. He desires to destroy you and plots to keep you in bondage, isolated behind brick walls of false protection, imprisoned by a fearful hardened heart of unforgiveness. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. (John 10:10 NIV) The enemy aims to make us feel fear and unforgiveness in areas where we have experienced betrayal. He wants to put you on an isolated island of unforgiveness, with your pain as your guide. Since Christ forgives us, however, we can freely forgive others. This does not mean that relationships and the hardships of sin won’t have consequences, for we know in this fallen world sin always leads
