Submission to God’s Will
Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. Proverbs 3:5-6
It’s one thing to know God’s will, but it is a whole other thing to do God’s will. It’s the difference between admiring a person’s generosity to care for the poor and personally writing a big check or volunteering my time to support the cause. Knowing is not the same as doing. Knowing becomes an obstacle to doing if it becomes a feel good emotion that intuitively agrees, but never does anything. Better to side with God by doing something and be judged by the world—than to side with the world by doing nothing and be judged by God. Submission to God’s will leads to action.
The Bible teaches us to: “trust in”, “lean not” and “submit to”. Trust in the Lord with all your heart. How? Wholehearted trust in the Lord is not fearful of what others may say or think about your Spirit led choices. In the short term, “friends” may question you or accuse you of disloyalty, but when you know in your heart where God is leading, you go with God. Lean not on your own understanding means you don’t rationalize your way out of doing the right thing. Instead, lean on the Lord in submission. Get under God’s mission and make Him the focus of your faithfulness.
“And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; not withstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead being alone; Yea a man may say, thou hast faith, and I have works; shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? (James 2:16-20).
Have you totally surrendered to God’s will for your life? Here are some questions to help you assess your submission: Do I freely align my will with God’s will, or do I say, “I want God’s will” and then do as I please? Do I do God’s will at all times or only when it doesn’t cost me anything? Do I truly trust God’s will is what’s best for everyone, or do I let fear and worry keep me from God’s best? Surrender to God’s will gives you courage to be victorious in God’s will. Like a good book—when your story connects to Christ’s story, it develops into a greater story.
Perhaps a dismissive attitude toward submission to authority in general is a hindrance to your submission to God’s will. But fittingly, authorities in your life are one of the Lord’s ways to get you to better follow His way. When you hear a godly person teach from the Bible you gain clarity from Christ. When you follow an agreed upon process at work or school you can trust the Spirit to facilitate the right outcomes from the decision makers. Submission to God’s will does not need to manipulate men, but to humbly serve and trust the Lord to make your paths straight!
“That the Lord thy God may shew us the way wherein we may walk, and the thing that we may do.” (Jeremiah 42:3).
Prayer
Heavenly Father, I humbly submit to Your will and totally trust You to guide my way.
Application
What area of my life is in need of my unequivocal surrender to God’s will?
Related Readings
Proverbs 16:3; Isaiah 40:3; Luke 3:11; Romans 8:7; James 4:7; 1 John 3:17
