A few posts ago I mentioned how I’ll be teaching a class with a team on, Reaching Your Destiny in God. I’ve been preparing all day my lessons plans. Actually I’ve been reviewing my notes for the last couple of weeks. For a brief moment today I started to panic thinking about it. You know what panic feels like? It’s when your mind goes numb, your heart beats quickly and you start to think of reasons how you can get out of what you about to do. My husband is away so I couldn’t turn to him for that comforting, “You can do this, honey.” In the pilot episode of Lost, Kate asks Jack if he is ever afraid. He tells her a story that he allows himself to be afraid for only five seconds and that’s it. So, I decided I would panic for five seconds and then get over it.Obedience vs. submission is one of the topics I’ll be teaching on in a couple of weeks. Funny when you teach a class like this, it’s something God is either teaching you or taught you about recently personally.
Obedience is an outward sign where as submission is an inward condition of your heart. The story of the little boy and his mother is a great example of this. The mother tells him to sit down and he doesn’t want to. When he finally sits he says, “I may be sitting on the outside, but I’m standing on the inside.” This is more than just a story about a defiant child. He may have been obedient to his mom, but he was definitely not submissive to her authority.
My job has been a training ground for me on this subject. I work for a boss who doesn’t always understand how to relate to her employees. I can go into details but that’s not the point. The point is she is someone in authority over me. It wasn’t enough to simply be obedient to her requests regardless of my feelings about it. I needed my heart to change and submit to the authority God placed over me. In the process I’ve gain peace. Nothing really has changed, except me. God has honored my submission and I’m a better person for it.
© Nadine Z. 2007
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23 comments:
Yes I have felt panic before exceipt I actually lost my voice...and could not talk, I felt kind of like Moses. I think in order to be submissive there needs to be some humility there that's for sure and when a person is obedient they are not always being humble, so I totally agree with your short story here about the little boy.
(btw, if there are any typos here in my comment it's because I can only see half of this commenting box. (it's a google bug that only appears when using the newest version of Mozilla.) It can be fixed by changing your comments to NOT appear in a pop-up box!)
Thanks for stopping by my party! Please be sure to check out a fun Bump! Photo Tag going on tomorrow! … hope you’d like to play along and post your favorite pregnant belly pic!
And P.S. are those your red shoes in the picture below?? Love them!
Steph
Yes, I know that panic! I am feeling it now as we are preparing to load our container tomorrow. Will everything fit? Will customs give us a hard time? Is it going to rain? "1,2,3,4,5" Ok, panic attack over. (I love Lost!)
A very thought-provoking post. Well written.
Welcome to the Party. I'm from Birmingham in England; please drop in when you can!
Stopping by for the party!
Congrats on the weight loss! I too have lost quite a bit of weight recently.
Wasn't sure where else to post - thanks for stopping by my party. Let's see - my favorite place to live was Germany, so we still visit as often as we can.
Have a great week!
Thanks for stopping by my party. You have a great blog and I plan on stopping by again for another read.
Thanks for stopping by my blog and I'm glad you joined the party!
The tip about only panicking for 5 seconds is a handy one - thanks for sharing!
Sarah
I am feeling a sort of panic over coaching my daughters softball team this season, so I can relate. What a great topic you are teaching...I would love to be there to hear it! =)
I too would love to be there to hear it! sounds GREAT!!!!
Thanks for stopping by to say hi. Panic is such a quick response. I feel it almost every day before I start my job on the phone. I hate phones so much. I always have to sit and breathe through it and just go for it. Once I'm on the phone, I think to myself, "what was all the nerves about?", yet it happens every time. So thanks for your thoughts on that.
Another great post Nadine! I've got my party button up, but haven't signed Mr. Linky yet. I'm finally back to writing after a busy week. I'm certain that you are going to do great with your class!
Hi! Having fun with the blog party!
Thanks for your kind comments on my blog!
Thanks for stopping by my party. I love this post, Nadine. I have struggled with obedience and submission. Unfortunately, the word "submission" has gained a negative connotation in many circles in our society. Good luck in teaching this very important work.
Thanks for stopping by my blog from the party. Just wanted to pop in and say Hi :)
Thanks for stopping by my party. (Gee, where have I read that before.) What awesome posts. I feel the truth in many things you have said, especially that illustration on obediance and submission. It's amazing to me how succinctly you have put the dontrine of higher law written in the New Testament. Christ doesn't just want our actions, He wants our hearts and by purifying our hearts, our actions will follow. Awesome thoughts. Thanks.
Good post...I can totally relate.
Hi there, thanks for sharing this. Heart changing is hard work somedays!! But it's worth it!! Blessings!
Hi, Nadine! Thanks for coming to see me. Nice to meet you.
Thanks for stopping by my party! It has been fun to meet so many women from all over! I enjoyed your post about obedience vs submission! I will be back! Oh, yea, me and panic... yep we are old friends. LOL
Nadine you have a very cool way of writing I really enjoyed reading your posts. by the way thank you for stoping by my blog.
Billie
I have found great peace in...knowing that I bear responsibility to choose good authority and leadership. At times I have needed to trust a leaders heart, even when I didn't agree with the decisions, and know that even if they made a bad call, God would still use it for good, if my heart was willing to see what He was doing through it.
For the record....I ADORE my leadership at the Bridge:)
Love you furiously,
Di
do you need any banner for your blog headings? i can do something for you... come by my blog and check out them works i have done...
nevins
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