Memories And Promises

First of all, I would just like to make it clear that I forgave the person in the last post a long time ago. Before the school year let out, actually. And we talk, just not much and not like that. I just simply wrote that post to let all of it go.


Anyway, today I want to talk about memories and promises, mainly because these were the two subjects we discussed in Sunday school. And before I go on, I want you to think about the thing you remember the most. It can be a good or bad memory. You can tell me what it is if you want or you can keep it to yourself. Now I want you to think about what triggers that memory. Is it a song? A certain face? A scar?
Okay, so memories are amazing things. For some people, memories are all they have left of something that was lost or taken. They can comfort us when we're sad and help us to remember the good in life. Or they can do the exact opposite. Some memories replay themselves constantly in our heads, especially the bad ones. And you could go your whole life holding in a memory that has broken you, and nobody knows about it. And if that's you, can you do something for me? Can you just l e t g o of the pain that memory has caused? Can you forgive whoever's fault- or accept whatever reason- it might be? That's a big step, but it's important because it proves you understand there's a reason behind it, and you're willing to put it all behind; to move on.


And then there are promises. We've all made at least a million promises, whether to ourselves or to others, in our lives. But here's the thing: how many have we really kept? Sometimes we make promises we're not really positive we can keep. Has anyone ever broken a promise they've made to you? Well let me ask this, how did you handle it? If you want to be forgiven, you must first f o r g i v e. Yes, forgive. It takes guts, but you will be much happier later.
Although, it is frustrating to count on someone and they let you down, even for the simplest things. What we all have to realize is that things happen that are out of our control, but how we handle the situation is in our control.
And when we break our promises, do we care? Are we really sorry or do we say "Oh, well." and move on like we did absolutely nothing wrong? If you don't take your promises seriously, how can you ever expect anybody else to?
As a christian, I've made a promise to God. Only it's so much stronger than a promise; it's a commitment. This means that I will live for Him and allow His words to speak through my actions. And I have to remember my promise to Him when my friends are out partying, or if and when someone offers me a drink. And if I ever think it's unfair or everything's harder for me, and I start to feel sorry for myself, then I have to remember I made a promise that was my choice. Mine. Nobody but me decides what I'm going to do with my life. And when I'm older and I look back on my life, am I going to be ashamed? Will my life be filled with  bad memories and a promise I made to God that I never kept? This is always what I ask myself before I make a decision, and I strongly encourage you to do the same. And feel free to talk to me about what you want to change, if there is anything.


I decided a long time ago that when I get to Heaven, I don't just want God to say "You're on the list. Come on in." No. I want Him to smile at me and say "You have done well, faithful servant."