Strength in Submission
- Brandon Bruce
- Sep 19
- 2 min read
“I am sending him—who is my very heart—back to you. I would have liked to keep him with me so that he could take your place in helping me while I am in chains for the gospel. But I did not want to do anything without your consent, so that any favor you do would not seem forced but would be voluntary.” -Philemon 1:12-14
The apostle Paul was very accomplished, he had a lot of authority, and he was especially bold as a leader. However, he did not force his will onto people or force his way over God‘s will. Some people live with a determination that their will should be done no matter what the cost. This kind of self-centered determination causes a lot of damage and hurts many relationships.
When you, instead, submit your will to God‘s will, life get so much better! Less damage is done through forcing your will onto others. You also start to realize that God's will is actually far better than your will as His dreams are bigger! You may consider yourself a great dreamer or big planner, but forcing your plans ahead of God's plan is a massive mistake! God is wiser, has a higher perspective, and He see the whole field far beyond your limited space in time.
A root issue under the battle of wills is the question of who is first. If you are first in your life, you will always fight to protect and promote your will. When you truly put God first in your life, you can more easily submit to the guidance of His Spirit in every situation because He is first!
One of the most damaging things in relationship is one person forcing their will over the other person without understanding the needs and desires of the other person. When you approach a relationship with gentleness and humility, listening to the needs of the other person first, things are much healthier!
It's hard to submit your will and it may not feel natural to pursue the will of others over your own, but it can add great strength to your relationships!
Jesus modeled a submitted will for us before going to the cross when He prayed for the Father's will above His own (Luke 22:42). Although it was the harder road, the will of the Father was the best because through the sacrifice of the Son, we can have eternal life through placing our faith in Jesus!
God sees the bigger vision, He is always working for your good, and you can trust Him with your life! Have the courage to pray for God's will above your own and watch the masterpiece of God come together all around you!
Right on?
Read/listen to Philemon chapter 1 and Hebrews chapters 1-2
Prayer focus: surrender your will to God in prayer and ask Him for the strength, humility, and gentleness not to force your own will over His will or onto others
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