Submit to God in All Situations

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REFLECTION

First and foremost, Eliphaz, one of Job’s friends was the one who gave Job this advice. The counsel he gave is true and remains true, but in the circumstance and situation he used them has a wrong implication. He was saying that Job had hitherto not known God and that prosperity in this life would follow his sincere conversion. We’re not going to be addressing Eliphaz’s assumption here, but we’ll be talking about the art of submitting to the LORD in all situations.

Sister Allison Fallon wrote a small but sensible article on her blog, storylineblog.com, which gave me a new sense of the subject of submission. She says,

“…A few years ago, I started writing. And there were several things that were significant about that change in profession for me, but one of the least significant things actually became the most significant, when I discovered the meaning of the word submit. As a writer, I began to submit things to people all the time. And the word submit, in the writing profession, didn’t mean anything like I assumed it meant when it came to “submitting” to God.

“When I submit a piece of writing to a magazine, or a publisher, I do tons of research first. I want to know what the publication is looking for, what kind of content matters to them, what their DNA is, what their audience is like. I come with a strong idea—one I’m fairly certain they’ll like (because I know them pretty well)—and I’ve spent hours and hours, not to mention sweat and tears, refining this idea to make it perfect.

“I’ve labored over this piece of art, this article or book. I’ve poured my whole self into it. I’ve spent days, weeks, even years sometimes on the couch, or in coffee shops, early in the morning, or late at night.

“Then, I “submit” it to the editor or publisher and say, with as much confidence as I can muster, “this is the best I can do. I’ve given you everything I have. But I realize I might have missed some things. Will you help me make it better?”

“I give them full reign to open the document, to use a red pen. They make some changes (which are mandatory), and some suggestions (which are not). Then, I take it back and get back to work.

Isn’t it interesting to learn from a writer’s perspective that the process of “submission” is never over? We’re never done refining, working, making things better.

After the writer has done his best, he must give it all to the editor and expect changes to be made.

I believe this aptly sums up what the LORD expects from us. Submission is not something we say we have done once. It’s something we’ll keep doing, day by day, week by week, month by month and year by year. We’ll keep saying to the LORD,

“Here am I, O LORD. I submit to THEE in this situation. I submit to THEE in this matter”

In every situation we find ourselves, in deciding for college, in choosing a job, when we face trials, in grief and in moments of loss, we submit to the LORD. When we submit, we must expect the LORD to make some changes. Even when we don’t hear back from HIM on time, it doesn’t mean He is not working in our lives and in the situations. He’ll surely get back to us in time.

James 4:7 says to “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” The Greek word “submit” used in this verse is ‘hupotasso’, which is a military term for submitting to rank. Like a private submits himself to a sergeant, to place or rank under, to subject, to obey, that sort of thing.

It never happens just once. It’s a continuous process.

So submit yourself to the LORD in the circumstance that you find yourself and let God move and bring you release and breakthrough.

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FURTHER READING:

Psalm 34:10, Psalm 40:8, Psalm 143:10, Ephesians 5:1-3

 

Culled from the Book, INNER PEACE