Courtney Gilmore Your desire shall be contrary to your husband, but he shall rule over you.
Genesis 3:16
I don’t know about the rest of you ladies, but Eve’s curse lays heavily on me! I mean, I like the part where my husband is supposed to protect and provide. It’s even nice to have someone to share the burden of all the decision making. The problem comes when he makes a different decision than I would. It’s not that I don’t trust my husband, but because he’s not God and he doesn’t know everything, sometimes I think I have a better idea.
No One is Perfect
We can all be selfish from time to time. We all have weaknesses and no one is right all the time. Because people are flawed, sometimes it’s difficult to put our faith in them. We may doubt their wisdom or ability, and we might not always be wrong for doing so.
When God selected Saul to be Israel’s first king, there were many who didn’t trust him to save them from their enemies. (1 Samuel 10:27) But when the Ammonites came against Israel and Saul handed them a victory, the country rallied around him as their king. All the doubts about his ability were dispelled. But now those who accepted him from the beginning wanted to put everyone to death who initially had rejected him.
But Saul didn’t blame the people for not trusting him. No one should be put to death for not trusting in his ability. He was only a man, after all. God was the One who brought their victory, and he had only been the vessel the Lord chose to work through. He was willing to overlook their initial doubt and just hope they could trust that he was the man God had chosen to work through.
Yielding to God’s Selected Leader
In and of themselves, the person God calls us to follow may not be worthy of our full faith. But, if they’re selected and led by the Lord, then by following them, we are not trusting in their ability, but God’s. This is much easier! When I remember that this is the way God set things up and that I’m really trusting God and not a man, then I am much less resistant.
Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church. He is the Savior of the body. Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything.
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife, loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church.
Ephesians 5:22-29
Though I struggle sometimes with my husband, I have complete faith in God because I know He is perfect and powerful.
Submitting to God
Maybe you share my struggle or maybe you find it difficult to yield to a different leader. Either way, God has created an order to things and we all have someone we must yield to.
Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore, whoever resists the authority, resists the ordinance of God. Those who resist will bring judgment on themselves.
Romans 13:1-2
When we find it difficult, we just need to remember that by submitting to God’s chosen leaders, we are submitting to Him. Unlike people, God is fully worthy of our trust and faith. He not only knows what’s best for us, but He always does what is best. God is not clouded by selfishness or fear and He has no weaknesses or inability. Because of this, He will never lead us astray.
He is the Rock. His work is perfect. For all His ways are justice. A God of truth and without injustice. Righteous and upright is He.
Deuteronomy 32:4
So, commit to following Him. Then, when He calls you to also follow a man, remember that in so doing, you are really putting your faith in Him.
Whatever you do. work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.
Colossians 3:23-24
Links
You can Watch or Listen to all recent and future blog posts as devotions on LivethruJesus Weekly Devotions Channel on Podcast or YouTube and Substack.
This is inspired by “Follow God, Not Man” which is about Saul defeating the Ammonites and solidifying his place as Israel’s king in 1 Samuel 11-12. You can Watch or Listen to it on YouTube, Podcast, or study it on Substack.
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