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Submission has become a dirty word in our culture that reveres self will. I definitely don't have all the answers about this. I don't know if I even have a few of them.
For much of my life submission was used as a stick to beat people over the head and force them to do what they were told without question. I don't believe that is what God intended it for. He says in John 15:15 "No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends..." If we are His friends and not slaves, why does it get to the point that submission is misused to turn people into the mindless slaves of others?
Submit - Greek - Hupeiko Greek military term meaning "to arrange [troop divisions] in amilitary fashion under the command of a leader". In non-military use "a voluntary attitude of giving in, cooperating, assuming responsibility, and carrying a burden".
Submission can be as simple as cooperating. It can be a willingness to concede the ground of my opinion or plan.
Submission and obedience are two different things. Submission is a position of your heart, obedience is seen in actions. I can obey and not submit. I also think I can submit and not obey.
We see many important victories in history that came out of people that did not obey their leaders. Martin Luther, John Knox, Martin Luther King, Jr, and countless others had to go against what the leaders were telling them to do in order to follow God. There will be times that we have to confront and not comply. But if there is EVER a time that I feel that I need to do something that is in disobedience of my leadership, I had better do it with a little holy fear in my heart. I will have to know that I know that I know that it is God directing me to do that thing. It can't be because I don't like what my leadership is doing, or I kind of don't agree with it or I just don't feel like doing what they want.
I’m not someone that loves to give up my way to or for someone else. I pray that it is always at the back of my mind. Let's all go on the journey towards learning what submission really looks like.
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