It’s not always easy!

Submission…How does that word make you feel?

Whether it’s submission to your parents, your husband, teachers, leaders etc it’s not always easy. Then there’s submission to God, His commands and His will which includes all of the above.

There was a time when submission was really hard for me, especially in marriage, it still is at times but over the years God has gradually been showing that His way really is the best way.

When God made Adam He said…

‘It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.’

Friends, God created women in such a way that they are perfectly designed to help their husbands.

Every marriage looks different but I think this quote beautifully sums what I believe is God’s design…

‘The woman was made of a rib out of the side of Adam; not made out of his head to rule over him, nor out of his feet to be trampled upon by him, but out of his side to be equal with him, under his arm to be protected, and near his heart to be beloved.’ (Matthew Henry)

We are each equally precious in God’s eyes but He has created us for different roles.

I’m aware that I’m treading on controversial ground now but I feel the Lord has led me to share this verse today and I want to be faithful…

‘Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.

Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.’

Yes, it can be really hard, especially if you’re strong minded.

I’m ashamed to say that I have often argued to push my point or get my way but God has gradually been teaching me that His way really yis best.

A little example to encourage you all, not just in submission to husbands but in what’s even more important, submission to God.

Last year, we had a small issue with our house, Howard wanted to get the insurance out to look at it hoping they would do the work for us, I didn’t think they would and was concerned it would just put out premiums up.

I expressed my concerns but didn’t push for my way as the Lord was really working in my heart at that time about submission and was gently reminding me to be submissive.

So I kept quiet, trusting that the Lord would work it all out.

The assessor came and the decision was made that they wouldn’t do anything and when our insurance was due for renewal, as I had thought, it went up.

(Only by God’s grace was I helped to not say I told you so)

But God in His goodness was working for us. A couple of weeks later I got a phone call. Because our house is insured for business use they could no longer insure us and asked us to find another insurer.

We did this and the new insurance was considerably less, not just less than our new increased premium but less than it was before the renewal!

It was such a lesson to me that even when things appear to go wrong, God’s way is always best!!

What grace we need to submit to God’s way of doing things, what submission we need to be obedient to His commands.

Friends, who are we anyway to presume that we know better than an Almighty God?

‘If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.’

‘As for God, his way IS PERFECT: the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him’

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Gem 2:18, Luke 9:23, Ps 18:30.