Promise in My Pocket

Our theme for chapel this year is "Dedicated to the Journey," and when our campus pastor speaks we are going through the book of Pilgrim's Progress. The other day PK (Pastor Kersey) preached about the "Lesson of the Key." While on his journey, Pilgrim ran into the Giant of Despair. This giant was bigger than him and took him captive in the Castle of Doubt, spreading lies in Pilgrim's head until he was so full of despair and hopelessness that he considered ending his life. But then Pilgrim remembered he had something in his pocket. A key. A key called Promise that will unlock ANY door in the Castle of Doubt.


I LOVE this analogy, because it is SO TRUE, for me anyways! The Giant of Despair (i.e.: worry, fear, discouragement...) IS BIGGER than me! And sometimes I let him lock me up in his Castle of Doubt and lie to me! But I have to remember my God who has always proven Himself faithful- and the key of Promise He has put in my pocket to unlock the doors in the Castle of Doubt!


Along with this, I love the line in "Come Thou Fount" that says "prone to wander, prone to leave the God I love! Take my heart Lord, take and seal it, seal it for thy courts above." Because I feel like that's what I do when I succumb to the Giant of Despair, I "wander" from the truths and promises that I know. So I pray that God SEALS my heart, mind, and eyes on HIM and His truth, because then no matter what, I need not despair! This also goes along with a verse from Jeremiah 31:22, "How long will you wander, my wayward daughter?" I could save myself so much heart and head ache if I just remembered the promise in my pocket and didn't wander away from the truth!


So, you might wonder where this is all going. Well it inspired me to write a song. I don't have chords for it...but I have the lyrics!

It's called "Promise in My Pocket."

I feel the clouds turn gray

As I walk down the cold, stone stair

Into the dungeon of the Castle of Doubt.

The Giant of Despair

Has brought me here.

Huddled in the corner,

The lies swirl around my head.

My mind is weak and weary,

My heart feels like a lump of lead.

The Giant has brought me here.

Feeling hopeless and lost,

Like there is no way out,

I feel a poke in my pocket, a key

That can unlock any door in the Castle of Doubt!

This key called Promise has always been here.

Just before I fell through the cracks,

When it felt like I'd reached the end,

You let that poke remind me

That on Your promise I can depend.

The Promise in my pocked will always be here.

I get up off the ground,

It's as if the sun has risen on my day!

Unlocking the door and climbing up the stairs,

The promises on my heart say-

He has always been here.

You cry out to me,

"Oh my wayward Daughter,

There is a promise in you pocket,

How long will you wander?

My Promise will always be here!"

Oh Father! My heart is prone to wander!

Prone to leave the shelter of Your love!

I'm lost without You, desperate for You!

Take my heart, and fix my eyes on You above,

In You my hope will always be here!

In my heart is Your love.

I will trust in You!

You have marvelous things planned for me;

The Promise in my pocket says that too!

You will always be here!

In this world there will be trouble

But the darkness is no more,

Because the light of Your Promise in my pocket
Will shine and unlock every door!

You will always be here!