Wednesday, July 22, 2015

What if Submission Doesn't Work?


She tried submission because she saw how great it worked for her friend's marriage. Her friend's husband was loving and attentive to her friend. He even helped with the housework so she tried giving submission a try. Well, after a month, her husband was still not helping with the housework so she was angry and decided submission didn't work.

Yes, this is how some women approach submission. They approach it as just another manipulative tool in their arsenal of "changing my husband to be what I want him to be." She found out quickly, even this didn't work.

If you are "trying out" submission to change your husband, you need to do a heart check. Our motive for obeying God's commands should never come out of a selfish goal of changing someone else, but changing us, making us more like Jesus and pleasing the Lord.

Yes, the Bible does state that a woman MAY win her disobedient husband by having a godly lifestyle but this is due to her husband being drawn to the Jesus he sees in her by her gentleness, kindness and love she shows towards him. It doesn't guarantee anything, especially that your husband will become everything you want him to be, like helping you with the housework.

We must change all of our goals into God-honoring goals instead of self-serving ones. Our desire should be that our husbands are more drawn to the Lord and His ways instead of to our ways. Women certainly don't need one more way to try to manipulate their husbands to do what they want, instead of walking in obedience to the Lord which requires denying our self and our wants and placing them at the feet of Jesus.

Remember that when you are submitting and obeying your husband, you are submitting and obeying the Lord. He is the One you want to please and He asks that you submit to and obey your husband, even if you see no good thing come from it here on this earth. You are storing up treasures in heaven and this is the best bank to put your investment into because moth, rust,  and fire can't destroy it and neither can thieves steal it.

But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal; For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
Matthew 6:20,21