S U B M I S S I O N

Submission.

The word seems dirty. As if you are putting yourself down to be walked on. Letting someone else have the final say, and you backing down. 

But submission is so much more than that. 

I have always struggled with submission. It was always so hard for me as a strong-willed, hard headed child to submit to my parents. I always thought my way was the right way and didn't want to admit it when I was wrong. 

But my big ugly pride that hated the word submission became so clear to me when I got married. Because now, I have to submit to my husband. Well actually, I don't  have to, but I get to. 

I knew that I had a problem with being wrong, and I knew I had a problem with being a control freak. It was a pride thing I needed to work on and I realized that, but around the time of the honeymoon, I began to realize that it was as equally a pride thing as it was a failure to submission.

On the honeymoon, it was my first time to go on a long trip with just one person. Now I have always felt the need to be in control, and tried to be in control on our honeymoon. I was telling Matthew how to drive, how to get through the line boarding the cruise, how to navigate a boat full of people, asking him over and over again if he had all our information to get on the boat. Finally he just looked at me and said "Will you just trust me? I love you, I WANT to take care of you...let me." That shut me up right there in my spot. God just thudded me on the head and said "THAT is what I have been trying to tell you your whole life. Just trust me. I love you. I know whats best for you. I will take care of you. Let me be in control."

You see, I was not only refusing to submit to my parents, or refusing to submit to my husband, I was refusing to submit to God. There was a deeper heart problem that came to light through marriage, and  it needed change. A huge change. 

God is "yearning jealously over the Spirit that he has made to dwell in us." (James 4:5) But by me refusing to allow the Spirit to live and flourish on the throne of my heart, I was quenching His Spirit in my life, and then sitting back and wondering why I wasn't hearing from Him or learning. 

James 4:7 says "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."

I was not submitting to God. I was not resisting the devil. The devil was not fleeing from me. 

My life felt like a huge giant wrecking ball came in and destroyed me. I was playing tug-a-war with the devil. Me on one end trying to pull my life to the finish line by myself, and him on the other trying to drag me down with him. By my selfish pride not allowing me to submit to God, I allowed the devil whisper lies into my ear and bring chaos into my life.

But God was not far off, He was yearning jealousy over the Spirit that He has made to dwell in me. All He desired of me was to submit. To obey. To resist the devil. But I was so caught up in myself, that I couldn't even listen. 

Submission means humility, meekness. 

It means to allow God to have my total attention, and have his ultimate way in my life. 

And we have to get out of the way and let Him work. 

The devil knows you. He knows where you are most likely to fall and pursue other things rather than the Lord. For me, it was having my way, for you it could be an idol in your life, or a habit you can't break. It could be anything. 

The devil desires to tear you away from the Glorious One. He desires to entice you and destroy you. 

Submit to God. Resist the devil. 

"Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time He may exalt you, casting all your anxieties upon Him because He cares for you. 

Be sober minded; be watchful. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. RESIST HIM, standing firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brothers and sisters around the world" 

 1 Peter 5:6-9

In Christ,

Lacey