"...giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of
our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ."
Ephesians 5:20–21 (ESV)
For some time, I have written to you on the subject of spiritual disciplines. Up to this point, I have shared with you about meditation, prayer, fasting, study, simplicity, and solitude. In this list, we can each identify at least one thing that makes us cringe. Something that seems to difficult. Something we deem unnecessary. Something from which our human nature recoils.
Well, if you thought that one thing was bad, here is something worse. The one tool of God every human being absolutely despises.
Submission
God instructs us to submit. Submit to Him. Submit to the authorities in our lives. Submit within our families. Submit to one another.
Submission is so revolting because it runs in direct opposition to "me." We are beings, in our unsanctified states, who are consumed with ourselves.
"My rights"
"My thoughts"
"My opinions"
"My feelings"
"My desires"
"My wishes"
"What is fair to me"
How can we be a people who love God and love others if we are consumed with loving ourselves? In order for Him to become greater, we must become less. But the key is learning to submit. And not simply submission accomplished by force of will, but godly submission achieved through God's power. For only with His power and strength can we put others first, and think more highly of others while also acknowledging our value before the Father.
Only through submission can the "me" become less so that He may be more.
Think about it.
Pastor Jason