“I have said to the LORD, “You are my LORD; all my good depends on you.” – Psalm 16:2 – NIV
A while ago I was on a quiet retreat, and our spiritual director sent us out to meditate on Psalm 16. The verse I chose to spend time looking at was the one above. Truly it has a lot to say.
It got me thinking about what it really means to submit, and make HIM Lord of my life. I looked at it that I need to remind myself all the time that the reason he is LORD of my life is because I asked him to be; because I have chosen it. I have given Him permission to make his will sovereign in my life, and agreed to submit to it.
Submission. It’s a funny thing, and I think many of us struggle with it. What does it mean to submit?
I think submission carries with it an element of openness that we often lose sight of. We need to come before HIM, and lay everything at his feet, including what we want. To be honest and say “This is what I’m thinking, this is what I want, this is what I hope. Now I give it all to you to do with it what you will.” Giving our desires over to HIM to use, or not, in his plan is much more honest than trying to deny them. Saying “Lord, it scares me that you might want me to go to Mongolia as a missionary. Lord I really feel like I would like to start a teaching group for children. Lord I don’t know if I can cope with …” Then waiting on HIM, and being prepared to go wherever he calls. That I think is real submission.
I’d like to think that God uses our wishes as part of his plan. Not that he follows them, but that they form a part of it.
Did you ever go out to eat with your parents when you were younger, and they asked you what you wanted to eat? Did they always listen?
No.
Sometimes they would say, “You can’t have waffles for lunch, have some chicken instead.”
Sometimes they would say, “I think you’ll prefer the chicken to the fish, but you can have either.”
Sometimes they will wish you had chosen salad, but let you have pizza instead, hoping you’ll learn to love salad.
I think God treats our desires like that. “Tell me what you want, and trust me to decide whether it’s right for you.”
The thing is, that we need to remind ourselves to let him order for us. To remind ourselves that the reason he is LORD, is because we have said to him “You are my LORD.”
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The thing I've really come to love about submission is that it takes the pressure off of me (and I've made some lousy decisions) and trusts everything to God.
ReplyDeleteThe only thing left is the discernment part. It means abiding. Hard sometimes with so many distractions.
submission (substitute mission) where we substitute our mission in life and take on His. :) I figure it's either that or we sink like a sub if we don't and destroy the mission altogether. :)
ReplyDeleteNice analogy.
ReplyDeleteI admittedly struggle with this:
ReplyDeleteI think God treats our desires like that. “Tell me what you want, and trust me to decide whether it’s right for you.”
I am so thankful for everything that God is doing in my life, but if I am going to be honest and keep it real...Sometimes I am not always happy with what God chooses for me to eat. But like a child who is told to eat their brussel sprouts....I do it (obey) and know (trust) that it is good for me.