Exploring promises as a tool of growth
Part 2: In a fight, we need a weapon, so make a promise
The inner battle is not completely dependent on a conflict between our conscious mind and more instinctive impulses. There will also be battles within the conscious reasoning part of our minds. This is often the battle of distinguishing between real and apparent goods – or, perhaps, we might want to say, between good things but of lesser importance and good things of substantial or even ultimate importance. So, once again, we must not be forlorn when we trip up again in our spiritual battles; we need real perseverance to recognise what our biggest goals in life truly are, and then to steer towards them through thick and thin.
With all this in mind, I am exploring the use of promises as a tool for spiritual growth. I have often been dismayed and distressed throughout my life by my inability to keep my promises to God. I am often uplifted by God’s presence, and in those moments it feels as though it will be easy to keep promises to live a spiritual life that honours God in every aspect. But, of course, the moment fades, our human nature reasserts itself against our spiritual goals, the external world imposes its pressures upon us, and inner temptations lure us away into a way of life that is outwardly OK, may even be morally commendable according to general standards, but which is not true to the quality of life that we experienced when we were conscious of God’s presence, and which we wanted to dwell in permanently. And, of course, our fall from grace may be worse than this!
Spiritual Devotion 