Can a vow be forgiven?

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pennyquilt

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I converted to Catholism 4 years ago. Before that, I was a baptist. I haven’t seen this question anywhere, so here goes. A few years ago, I lost my job, so I asked God to help me find another, & I promised Him that I would stay at that baptist church. (This was before I had any idea that I would want to be Catholic). In 2000, I started looking into the teachings of the Church because of how Catholics lived their faith. I saw more Biblical truth in Catholism then I did at the church where I had been going.
The same week that I started RCIA classes, I lost my job because I refused to drive in a “bad” part of town at night. Since then, no matter how hard that I look, I have not found another job. I have prayed for forgiveness of this vow, but I never get an answer. I’m not trying to be wordly, I just want to be able to pay my bills.
Should I go back so that I keep my promise? The last thing that I want to do is to offend Jesus or God.
 
God is not bound to your “vows” if they are not best for you. You’re in the place God wants you to be. 🙂

Sometimes we go through rough spots in life. It’s not karma and it’s not punishment. In fact, if anything it’s to give us a chance to pick up our Cross on follow Him. Keep praying for a job and unite your sufferings to those on the Cross. Your pereseverening through tough times are not in vain and will be noted by God 🙂
 
God is not punishing you for futher seeking him out.

Do not doubt your decision because of your job situation. Instead have great faith in Christ and believe that you will find something.

God does not give us any test we cannot pass. He loves us too much to make us fail.

If you can have enough faith and trust to not doubt your conversion, then you will have faith worthy of God’s amazing and sometimes Visible Will in your life.

God Bless and I will pray for you.
 
Here is a link to the Catholic canon law on vows.

Based on canon 1196 1°, it appears talking to your parish priest would be in order.
 
Using the above link, see this…
Can. 1197 What has been promised by private vow can be commuted into something better or equally good by the person who made the vow.
Click to expand...
Because the vow is defined as a “personal” vow (you did not make it to an authoritative figure in the Church), then you may commute or “substitute” the vow for soemthing better or equally good. In other words, you can simply enchange the vow to remain Baptist for one to remain Catholic (or some other promise similar in nature).

So don’t worry about your vow as it stands and trust in God.
 
a vow to do something against God’s will is not binding. You did not know the truth before, now you do, so you did not sin by making the vow, but it is not binding. Part of your promise probably included something good and worthy, such as committing your life to Jesus Christ, that part of the vow still stands, and you are making it come true more fully in your life by embracing His Church.
 
I find it interesting how people bargain with God. I have a friend who promised to stop cussing if God would give him a bigger computer.

God’s main concern is your relationship with him. Is your relationship with him growing stronger or growing fainter? If it is growing stronger then that is what God cares about, not what church you vowed to be in. A more proper vow would have been to promise to grow closer to God.
 
Here’s an example of an unwise vow:

Martin Luther was terrified during a violent storm and prayed that if God spared his life he would become a priest. He kept his vow and what an error that turned out to be!
 
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