I'm going to tackle this four-letter word, "submission". One that haunts modern feminists, and is sorely misjudged.... because it's what God has been pressing upon me. Always through people, and His word,
He has seen fit to show me how very little I've understood. I'm forever grateful for these insights, for the opportunity to be doing His work, for any chance to show my dedication to the Lord.
And so I submit.
The understanding that I have been sealed by God, means that I am his property. He owns me. This may be hard to hear in a world filled with "rights" and "equality", but worldly ideals aside, the true meaning of my hope in Christ is that he owns me. I am His. This distinction is important, not only to understand submission, but it's also why I have certainty of my salvation. It can't be undone, because I am no longer the person I was before Christ, I am made new through the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross (and can I just say Thank You! Thank you Jesus!).
But submission...well, that's a dirty word. It's indicative of heavy-handed husbands, and women who shouldn't have a voice, and all the misguided errors of days long past. And yet, as I read the Bible and continue to seek God's will, I have been constantly bombarded by this word, the meaning of which I could not grasp...and I believe it's a common problem. So, I hope that my insights will allow others to appreciate what submission can truly offer.
It is a wonderful thing.
Let me start with my understanding of what it DOESN'T mean:
- Submitting to my husband as the head of our family, doesn't mean I have no opinions, OR that they aren't heard and valued.
- Submitting to my parents (yes, even at 38+) doesn't mean I'm immature or belittling myself.
It doesn't even mean we aren't friends who share intimate life details.
- Submitting to my authority (government, employer, etc...) doesn't mean I'm devalued as a person, or that I'm meek or insignificant.
So, what DOES it mean?
- It means I recognize my God-given place in any situation.
- It means I trust said place, established by God.
- It means I trust God.
- It means I'm not trying to get my own way all the time. It means I'm mature enough in my faith and self-confidence, to understand that being heard is more often about being the center of attention, and less often about some righteous injustice I have been called to correct.
- It means I can humble myself to build up another. It is directly connected to loving another more than myself. It is the embodiment of it.
- It is truly being confident. Not searching for my self-worth in the affirmation of others, but believing in who I am in Christ. It is not self-deprecating; it is the true freedom to operate inside God's will for me, instead of actively working against it!
What does it LOOK like?
Well, I'm still figuring that part out...I'm new to this whole submission thing. I'm not sure I've ever actually done it before now (I'm a slow-learner).
What I've come to discover is, that if I'm truly submitting to God's will for my life, it manifests as a heart-change. It's not a decision to simply keep my mouth shut. Or to begrudgingly do something I think is stupid. It's a change in how I see the question before me.
If I have a submissive heart, because I understand where God has placed me, then my reaction naturally changes, because I'm seeking Him, BEFORE I even think about my personal opinion. This is life-changing stuff for me - BEFORE I even think about my opinion.
BEFORE I speak my opinion out loud, I submit to God, and then I can clearly see, before I have a chance to feel. This heart-change makes the submitting more natural. I want to submit. I want to be respectful. I want to build the relationship instead of stroking my own ego.
This is simply growing closer to God. It's not an act of contrition, or even a choice I make in my behavior. It's this amazing opportunity God has given me to see His nature. To glimpse the perfection that will be ours for all eternity.
It was a gift, this glimpse. He sees fit to give us what we least deserve, and I was the least deserving of all...but he used me anyway.
I won't squander His gift. Even in my imperfect interpretation today, there is still glory in it for God.
Because He is always good.
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