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Greg Woodard, DMin's avatar

Interesting read. Helpful to be reminded that submission is about giving up control.

One question, was the picture of a woman intentional?

I may have chosen to put a picture of a man submitting as a way of making a theological point. We men are meant to submit just as our sisters are.

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Chris McKinney's avatar

Hi Greg. Thanks for reading. No hidden agenda with the picture. It was to show someone praying.

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Martin's avatar

Excellent summary Chris, as you said "Submission to Christ isn’t about losing control; it’s about gaining freedom."

We need to understand the truth of God

So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:31-32)

God's words are truth and freedom, we submit to God by obeying this commandments and statutes and laws which are there to light our path and guide our ways.

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Everyday Theology's avatar

Really good

You know in psalms 23 it says, “he makes me lay down…” I’m finding that lately my submission is found in his “making me lay down.”

I don’t need to know every detail of his plan. I’m very small in something very great.

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Dr. Stephen Phinney's avatar

Chris, the organic meaning of “sub-mission” is an individual who is on a mission by making use of surrender to a higher power through gentleness that overpowers human dominance.

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Michelle Cousineau's avatar

This was a word that was needed in this season of my life. Thank you for summarizing it so well and for giving a pathway to actually work on this. I admit, submission is one of those disciplines I struggle with and I feel so guilty when I don’t submit the way I think I should be. Your words have given me the encouragement I needed today. Thank you.

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Chris McKinney's avatar

Hi Michelle! I’m so glad that this article was a blessing to you.

Submission is so powerful - In a sermon on Sunday, I remember saying, “Submission is a four-letter word for most of us. However, submission to godly leadership is a beautiful thing.”

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Geoffrey Stroud's avatar

You cannot strategise your way to submission. You are either in Christ or you are not. Being in Christ is living from submission, not for submission. If you have to think about it, you are not submitted. All of the Apostles lived from submission. Satan will do everything in his limited power to prevent submission, but we are in Christ, already victors. Just live it out.

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Marlon Summers's avatar

Thank you for this article. It is very enlightening. I have two questions.

My situation which causes great worry for me and my family was caused by my poor stewardship of opportunities God gave me. I now seek His divine intervention to help me out of huge debt. I see no way out and I have acknowledged that in prayer to Him. I have ceased trying to find my own solutions and submitted my burden to God.

But how do I know if thoughts of possible solutions that come to me are from God's guidance rather than me relying on my own understanding?

And how do I prevent my faith from faltering when I sometimes think that God will not intervene because the situation has arisen from my disobedience?

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Chris McKinney's avatar

See my comment on your first post.

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Marlon Summers's avatar

Thank you for this article. It is very enlightening. I have two questions.

My situation which causes great worry for me and my family was caused by my poor stewardship of opportunities God gave me. I now seek His divine intervention to help me out of huge debt. I see no way out and I have acknowledged that in prayer to Him. I have ceased trying to find my own solutions and submitted my burden to God.

But how do I know if thoughts of possible solutions that come to me are from God's guidance rather than me relying on my own understanding?

And how do I prevent my faith from faltering when I sometimes think that God will not intervene because the situation has arisen from my disobedience?

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Chris McKinney's avatar

Hi Marlon.

Thank you for sharing your story so honestly. That takes courage. You’re not alone — I’ve been there too, wondering how I got into the mess and whether God would still show up after I messed up.

First, let me say this: God’s mercy isn’t tied to your performance. His love is steady, even when our stewardship isn’t. Yes, poor decisions have consequences — but grace doesn’t vanish when we fall short. That’s the whole point of the cross. If He only rescued the perfectly obedient, none of us would make it.

Now about your questions.

1. How do I know if ideas that come to me are from God or just my own thoughts?

Here’s how I tend to test them:

• Does it align with scripture?

• Does it require faith, but not recklessness?

• Does it invite wise counsel, or demand secrecy?

• Does it produce peace — not ease, but peace?

God often leads us step by step, not with fireworks but with clarity in the next faithful thing. It’s okay to explore ideas, hold them up to prayer, and ask trusted believers what they see in it. He’s not trying to trick you. He’s walking with you.

2. How do I keep my faith from faltering when I feel disqualified by my past disobedience?

You remember who He is. Not who you were.

The enemy wants you to believe your failure voids your future. But God specializes in restoring what we broke. David failed. Peter failed. Jonah ran. Yet they weren’t disqualified — they were redirected. Grace doesn’t erase the past, but it redeems it.

Your faith will feel weak some days. That’s normal. When it does, anchor it to who God is, not how strong you feel. Say it out loud if you have to: “I trust You to rescue me — not because I deserve it, but because You are faithful.”

He still hears. He still helps. And He’s not done with your story.

Keep walking. He’s walking with you.

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Marlon Summers's avatar

Thank you. This is helpful.

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Melanie's avatar

Great writing. God knows alot more than we do!

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Sep 10
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Chris McKinney's avatar

Hi Helen! The image was chosen simply to represent a posture of prayer and submission to God, which applies to both men and women.

The article itself is about all believers—regardless of gender—submitting to our Heavenly Father. The focus is on spiritual submission to God, not societal ideas of gender roles or dominance.

Strong women of faith know that submission to God brings freedom and growth, and when understood correctly, it produces lasting fruit in our lives.

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