Put Your Promise Back On

I bought my purity ring when I was fifteen. I remember everything about that day. I remember being so excited to give God my entire life, making a promise that I would wait to have sex until I got married. I proudly wore that ring and loved it when people asked me what it represented because that meant I got to share with them about my faith. I ran after God year after year continuing to keep my promise even though it wasn’t always easy. I loved to encourage others to make the same stand and would often lead, sing, or speak at conferences for this cause. It was awesome. I felt like I was making a difference letting young people know not everyone was “having sex.” There were people out there waiting. Then the day came where I noticed I was now older. I was in my thirties, and here I was with this ring on STILL. I thought my stand would show God He could trust me, that I was ready to get married, ready to give my husband this ring. I even planned it when I was younger. I would write the most amazing letter and give it to him with the ring right before we walked down the aisle. It would be such a special moment - he would probably cry :) .

The day came when I started seeing others who were once in my youth group or kids’ church getting married, and here I was with this ring on STILL. Thoughts from the enemy made me feel embarrassed. I allowed him to change the way I looked at my ring. A fifteen-year-old girl, so proud of her ring, turned into a woman embarrassed that she still wore it. A couple of years ago, I took the ring off, not giving up on my promise to God but tired of being reminded that it seemed like I was doing my part, but God forgot about His.

I lost my confidence in God’s promise. I gave up on the idea that it would actually happen. I became double-minded. My prayers for my future husband were covered with doubt. God’s love is so great that He sent people to speak into my life to help me see where I was living. I asked God to forgive me for my doubt, renewed my confidence in His promise, and finally, I put my ring back on.

Since putting my ring back on, my enjoyment of life is starting to change. When I see a wedding, it becomes a reminder not of my singleness, but of my promise. I can truly celebrate with others knowing that one day I will celebrate too. This mindset causes me to live in freedom, and it feels amazing. It isn’t always easy, and I have to make an intentional decision to choose to think this way every single time I see a really cute couple on Instagram, but that’s what I’m choosing. “All God’s promises are yes and amen.”  

If you’re in a similar season, my encouragement is to expose every lie. What are the thoughts you’re thinking? Lies usually sound something like this: “It will never happen. God forgot about me. No one likes me. My last relationship didn’t work out, so I guess that means I’ll be single forever.” You’ve probably never thought these things before right? It’s probably just me then ;) .

Here’s the deal: these thoughts came from an emotion or a feeling; they didn’t come from God’s truth. When I asked God if one day I would be married and He responded with a yes and also confirmed that through other believers, then God's truth to me was it will happen. His Word tells us, “For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly” (Psalm 84:11).

Now I do wish that God would have given me a timeline, that would be so much easier, but this is where my faith can be strengthened. Do I trust God? Do I believe that what He says will truly happen? Do I believe that He is able?

If your answer is no to any of the above questions, then there’s an opportunity for you to look deeper into your relationship with God and to find out the why behind your answer. If you answered yes, then there’s an opportunity for your faith to increase as you believe in the things you have not seen yet. From someone who has heard “Just wait on God, it will be worth it,” longer than she can remember, and feels like her whole life has been waiting, I will spare you that overused encouragement. Instead, I’ll tell you, “Just believe God WILL; it will be worth it.”  When I live every day believing God will, even through my disappointments I can find peace and joy because I believe God will come through for me.

I encourage you today to put your promise back on too, whatever it is, and believe God will do big things.