Submission. Often said with scorn, dread, or fear. If you are submissive you are likened to a cowering dog. Weak, fearful, useless.
Yet that isn’t God’s view of submission.
As a rider, when I select the ideal horse to spend a day on, it is a submissive horse. One that is full of power and agility. Confident and quick. Intelligent and brave. Submissive and obedient. None of the strengths of a horse are worth anything to the rider without submissiveness and obedience. When they are there the rider can take a mediocre horse and do great things.
The other options are a boring horse, a dangerous horse, or a spooky horse. The boring horse has given up. It still has all the same potential but no spirit or willingness to be used. No life. No energy. No hope. The dangerous horse wants to do what he wants to do and nothing will stand in his way. He’ll take down the fence, kick out the wall, run over anyone or anything in his way. The spooky horse can’t be trusted. You never quite know what to expect. His attitude is one of wariness. He’ll do what you ask up to a point. If it gets too hard or scary he will refuse or even turn tail and run.
In a time of great need which horse would you choose. The submissive horse! He is ready to take all that power and strength and go anywhere the rider asks.
I had a horse that seemed to read my mind. He would be sleepily walking along and then spring into a canter without me even giving him the cue. He was so in tune with me that he felt the shift of my weight as I thought about telling him to canter. I knew that he was the best horse to be riding when I needed I horse I could trust. He did great things. He helped me rescue people on trail rides. He averted disasters. He became my best friend. I trusted him with my life.
That’s the kind of person I want to be for Jesus.
But, man, it is so stinkin’ hard.
Today I was faced with it. Again. “Shirley… this is the path I need you to take.” I balked. I threw a fit. I shied away. But He kept turning me back to face the path. I am writing this to help me take this trembling hesitant steps onto a path I despise. Why? Because I know He is trustworthy.
Really… when it comes down to it… my fears and bitterness that pull me down are because of my lack of trust in Him. I think they are because of a certain person or circumstance but that isn’t really true. If I was fully in a place where I trusted Him and believed in His absolute love and care for me, then I would never feel bitterness or fear.
Wow.
That would change my life so drastically. So right now I take that obedient step and I leave the rest of the path to Him.
Just a quick update regarding Sharlyn’s comment. This whole blog was because of something my husband asked me to submit to. Really… when we submit to our husband it is submitting to God as it is His command (ouch). So all of this is absolutely applicable to wives (sigh) as one of His paths for me is to obey and submit to my husband.
Picture from http://www.horsegiftandart.com/
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
Shirley, this is excellent! The examples of different kinds of horses perfectly describes so many of us. I was thinking about this as it relates to submission as wife as well. Powerful stuff.
Awesome blog post and so insightful.
Perfect words for this point in my life. I certainly am most like the wary horse…
What a great analogy – a nonsubmissive horse really is useless to its rider – and if I am not submissive to Jesus, where’s the good in that? And if I really trust Him, I will also submit to my husband. Thanks for the encouragement.
I’m not a fan of the submissive wives movement, BUT I love how submission is closely related to humility. When we view our husbands with love and respect and treat their opinion as valuable as our own, we move in true humility. Lovely analogies.
I like this too Shirley! So helpful of our Lord to give us so many pictures!Thanks for sharing this morning too…yes, one step by one step as the Lord directs…and eventually the ‘walls will come crashing down.’ We can encourage and build up one another hey. God bless you day by day by day!
Brenda