As we prepare for the Christmas season and the beginning of a New Year, I challenge us all to release ourselves from any and all unfruitful vows of the heart that we have made during the year or more distant past.
Unfruitful vows of the heart are made in fear. Fear-based vows are destructive and are not beneficial in our life’s journey. This type of vows hinders our progress and steals our joy.
Examples of Vows of the heart are:
- I will never allow anyone to hurt me again,
- No one will ever cheat me again, or
- I will never be used again as long as I live.
In order to honor such vows, we shut down our compassion and in doing so we close and lock the door to the joy of freedom as well.
We can only receive what we are open to give. We reap the harvest of the seeds we plant in our life. Rather than hang onto self-defeating vows, seek to plant new seeds. Plant the type of seeds that will produce love, peace, patience, self-control, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and JOY. Through the path of forgiveness, we can uproot bad seed and release ourselves from the unfruitful vows of the heart that tend to hijack our future.