Why God's Promise is Stronger Than Your Best Effort

I find it interesting how many of our everyday conversations revolve around our jobs. In fact, over the past five years, I’ve worked eight different jobs. I guess you could say I’m the king of job hopping. I started working when I turned fifteen, and my very first job was at a café making smoothies and panini sandwiches. To this day, it’s still one of my favorite jobs I’ve ever had. I had an amazing boss, got a free meal every shift, and enjoyed going to work.

Another reason I loved that job was that expectations were clear. Everyone knew their role, and everyone did their part. When expectations are clear and people follow through, work feels lighter and more enjoyable.

Unfortunately, not all jobs are like that. Some promise one thing and never deliver. At one point, I worked at a feed and supply store. During the interview, I was told I would be stocking shelves in the supply department — something I specifically requested. But after I was hired, I was placed at the register instead and never moved to the department I was promised.

I also worked at WinCo as a cart clerk. I was told I would receive full-time hours and higher pay because of my retail experience. Neither happened. I was scheduled for part-time hours and paid the base wage, so eventually I left to find full-time work elsewhere.

Jobs are easy to talk about because they take up most of our waking hours. We spend so much time working alongside coworkers, reporting to bosses, and trying to meet expectations. Because jobs involve people, and people don’t always keep their promises, it can be disappointing and even heartbreaking when what was promised never comes.

But it’s not just jobs. Families, friends, communities, influencers, and organizations also make promises they don’t keep. These are people we trust and believe in, yet they still let us down. I’m sure all of us can think of an example in seconds.

I hate to admit it, but I’ve been on the other side of this, too. I’ve promised to reach out to siblings or friends across the country, only to completely forget. Even with good intentions, people can disappoint.

A God Who Always Delivers

The obvious answer is to turn to God, because He always keeps His promises, but that’s easier said than done. Trusting God’s timing can be hard, especially when we’re used to instant results.

In Genesis, God makes a promise to Abraham when Abraham is 75 years old, telling him he would be the father of many nations. What we often forget is that it takes 25 years for that promise to begin unfolding. When God promises Abraham and Sarah a child, they question it because of their age.

One of my favorite verses in this story is Genesis 18:13-14:

“Then the Lord said to Abraham, ‘Why did Sarah laugh and say, “Will I really have a child, now that I am old?” Is anything too hard for the Lord? I will return to you at the appointed time next year, and Sarah will have a son.’”

Like Abraham and Sarah, many of us would respond the same way. Yet God does exactly what He promises in His own timing. But God doesn’t stop with one son. He gives Abraham a lineage that grows, enters captivity, and becomes a nation 430 years later. God’s promises often take longer than we expect, but they are never forgotten.

When the Israelites are freed, God gives them the Law. Galatians 3:19 explains why: “Why, then, was the law given at all? It was added because of transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise referred had come.” The Law was never meant to save us; it was meant to show us our sin and our need for a Savior.

God’s promise to Abraham ultimately pointed to Jesus. God knew we could never perfectly follow the Law. His expectation was never that we would fix ourselves. The Law exposes our sin, and Jesus provides the solution.

Grace From Our Unchanging God

That idea of impossible expectations isn’t hard for me to understand. I’ve had bosses who were never satisfied, no matter how hard I worked. A few years ago, I worked in sales for a window company. I was the top sales rep, bringing in over fifty thousand dollars in sales month after month, and it still wasn’t enough.

That experience taught me that no matter how good you are, some people will never be pleased. Thankfully, our relationship with God doesn’t work that way. We can never earn His love, and that’s exactly the point. He loves us because He chooses to.

I need constant reminders that nothing I do makes me “good enough” in front of God. I don’t earn grace by working harder; instead, I just receive it. I've got the golden ticket, and His name is Jesus. People change. Expectations change. But God remains the same, and he always keeps His promises.

It’s worth pausing to reflect on how God has shown up in your life. Think about the prayers He has answered and the ways He has carried you through difficult seasons. I can think of many, and I’m sure you can too.