Wednesday, January 25, 2017

I have to do, what?!

I remember constantly being reminded by Christian television shows, sermons, and even the Bible that it's a woman's job to submit to her husband. Now, I don't know about you, but after being raised for nineteen years of my life by a single mother, and never really seeing her submit to anyone; submission is almost a foreign language in my life. I'm not quite sure when my hate for submission happened, but I'm pretty sure it happened when I was growing up; seeing my mother not have to answer to anyone. For me, her freedom was liberating; but I'm sure for her, that her "freedom" was a prison.

It's easy to look at submission as a "prison", especially if we haven't done the research to actually understand what submission is. 
Before we can even imagine submitting to our husbands (speaking in future terms for myself!), our first job is to submit to God. 1Peter 2:13 says "Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.". This scripture even instructs us to submit...but to the Lord. 

Why is submission so important?
Well, when we give ourselves over completely to God, amazing things happen. 
The very decision that kept you awake all night becomes easier to make. 
The argument that you had with your boyfriend, reveals things that you had been searching for.
And overall, the voice that you have been praying to hear is finally heard!

Don't you see? Submission is not a prison, but an opportunity to be led to better and greater things; that maybe you would not have been able to see if you were making those decisions for yourself. 

Yes. I know what you're still thinking:
Submitting to God, one without fault or mistake is a lot easier than submitting to someone who may be full of mistakes.

I agree. It is. It's also scarier. I was dating a guy once that I really felt was the one for me. I was excited to finally meet a guy that was funny, loving, and just nice to be around. After two months of dating, I called a friend and began gushing about this guy who I was head over heels in love with. Immediately, my friend asked,
"Have you prayed about this?".

Well, the answer to that question was "no". I refused to pray about this guy, because I was terrified that God would tell me that he wasn't the one for me...
And sure enough, that's what God said.
I later called the guy, and explained that we shouldn't see each other anymore.
When he asked, "why?", I honestly believe that God spoke through me, 
"I can't submit to you, because I don't trust your leadership!".

It was true.
I didn't trust his leadership. I didn't trust where he was going, let alone did I trust to walk the path he was still struggling to find. Submitting to that was impossible. I could'nt do it. I refused to do it. 
And I'm happy that God didn't allow me to do that. 

So, stop hating submission. 
In Christ, its easier to submit...


And perhaps the reason that you are so afraid to submit to your (future) husband, or even to God is because you don't trust the leadership.
Lay all your worries and fears at His feet, and I promise that submission will be your best friend!

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