Submission

Ephesians 5:22 - Wives submit to your husbands as to the Lord.

For the past 24 hours I've been struggling with a direct order from my husband that I have no choice but to submit to. The command from God to submit to our husbands is not one given lightly nor should it be taken lightly. As a rule, Woman Beautiful can weigh her submission on two things: will what I've been told to submit to be sin against God, and will it hurt others? If it will do neither of these, then she, me, is to submit. Every time I think about it I begin to cry. Is it going to be fun? No. Will it better me? Yes. Will I look back and be glad I submitted? Absolutely! Will it glorify God? Amen, yes. Nonetheless, every time I think about it, I begin to cry. I've failed these past 24 hours at "taking my thoughts captive and making them obedient unto Christ, knocking down strongholds and every false pretense that sets itself up against the true knowledge of God," (2 Corinthians 10:5). Honestly, I've ripped my husband up one side and down the other. Giving him tongue lashes that have the power to bring death to many aspects of our marriage. Satan doesn't care whether or not John and I have difficulties in our marriage, what he wants to do is steal my joy. Because, "the joy of the Lord is my strength," (Nehemiah 8:10) and if satan can steel my joy, he steals my strength! "Far be it from me that I should sin against God by ceasing to pray for my husband," (1 Samuel 12:23). In praying for my husband, it will bring the forgiveness and healing that I need right now. The healing that can only come from the Lord. The joyful healing that enables me to keep on loving him -- when I'd rather pop him upside the head and call him an idiot. (Yes, I'm way human.) The healing that strengthens me to accept the command in willful obedience to God therefore, submitting unto John as unto the Lord. 14 months from now I will be thankful that John had the courage to do what he did. And, by Monday morning, I will have embraced the opportunity to sumbit and trust that God will indeed work all things out for my good because I love Him and I am called according to His purpose. You, Woman Beautiful, are too! Love and Blessings, Amanda