Submission and Surrender

When you think of the word submission, what thoughts or feelings surface?

In today’s culture, submission has gotten a bad rap. It may evoke feelings of resentment, anger, or fear. But beloved, I am here to remind you that you were created to be complete, lacking in nothing, and that requires being submissive in all areas of our lives.

Consider it this way; in another word, submission is simply yielding to something other than yourself.

We yield to traffic lights when they change.

We yield to elderly neighbors in the grocery store.

And we even yield to the weather as it changes throughout the year.

Yielding in our lives is having the ability not to have it your way all the time. And when we submit in all areas of life, God promises to reward our obedience.

Let’s look at three areas of life where we, women of the Most High, are called to be obedient.

Submission in Our Marriage

My dear friend, Pastor Kelley Steele, from Kingdom in the Valley Christian Church in Arizona, is no stranger to submitting to her husband – who is also her pastor and boss! She has been married for over 30 years, dedicating her life to surrendering her life to God through her marriage. 

She says, “Your submission to your husband reflects your submission to God. If you aren't submitted to your husband, chances are you aren't submitted to God.”

Ephesians 5:23-24, in the Passion Translation, says, “For the husband provides leadership for the wife, just as Christ provides leadership for his church, as the Savior and Reviver of the body. In the same way the church is devoted to Christ, let the wives be devoted to their husbands in everything.”

Marriage is God’s beautiful earthly example of how we, His Bride, are to be submissive to Christ, our Bridegroom.

As we yield to our husbands' leadership, we are yielding to the leadership of God in our lives, which will produce the unspeakable reward of joy in the Lord.

*This does not apply to those who are in an abusive relationship. Know that the Lord never condones abuse of any kind. If you need help, please reach out to a trusted friend, pastor, or counselor.

Submission in Our Workplaces

“Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good.”

- Titus 3:1, NIV

If you work in the corporate or retail world, chances are you have a supervisor. And in some cases, you are the supervisor!

As Daughters of God, we are called to rise up and respect authority, and in doing so, we respect the authority of the Lord in our lives. As we submit to those who lead in our workplaces, we are encompassing a living example of what it means to work as if unto God.

If you are a leader of a company, you too must submit to God in how you treat those you are entrusted with. As you teach, encourage, and make decisions, you are setting an example of what good leadership looks like under the covering of heaven.

Beloveds, let's change the atmospheres of our workplaces as we practice yielding to the heads of our companies.

Submission to God

It can be frustrating to submit to someone who doesn’t seem to be taking the best interests of others in mind.

Can I encourage you?

Proverbs 21:1, TPT says, “It’s as easy for God to steer a king’s heart for his purposes as it is for him to direct the course of a stream.”

God leads our authorities in every choice they make. He directs their hearts as they choose what’s best for others.

Do you trust God to guide your leaders?

There is freedom in trusting that the Lord will make all paths straight when we align ourselves with His authority. We must simply live in submission to God, His desires, and His way.

Submission isn’t just for those who are married or employed; it is for everyone! If you have breath in your lungs, you are yielding to someone. And when you submit in whatever season you are in, God promises to move and protect your heart, no matter your path.

If circumstances don’t make sense, trust God. If you don’t understand the route He is taking you, believe God; for He always has your best interests in mind.

And remember, as you diligently seek after Him, yielding to His next steps, He will reward you.

And the greatest reward is that in our submission, we become more and more like Jesus.