The Prayer of Submission Brings God’s Benefits

Some people give God total access to the home of their being right away. Others leave Him standing in the entryway indefinitely. Many people do as I did and allow Him to gain entrance slowly. When He knocks on different doors inside you, just know that He will never bulldoze His way in and break down the walls. He will simply knock persistently and quietly, and as He’s invited, will come to gently occupy each corner of your life to clean and rebuild.

He has given you a choice. Will you choose to open up and share every part of yourself with Him and let Him reign in your life? This is the prayer of submission to His will.

God doesn’t enforce obedience or submission. We often wish He would because it would be easier, but He gives us the choice. I have had to ask Him to teach me to be obedient out of love for Him and the desire to serve the One who has done so much for me. If you want the same benefits, you have to do the same thing.

It helps to understand that the Lord is on your side, and the call to obedient submission is not to make you feel like a hopeless failure if you don’t do everything right.

Knowing that God asks you to live a certain way for your own benefit, because He knows life only works out right for you when it is lived on His terms, will help you desire to know His ways and to live in them.

You start the process by being willing to say, “God, I don’t want anything to separate me from Your presence and love. And I really do have a heart that wants to submit and obey. Please show me where I am not living in obedience, and help me to do what I need to do to be submissive to You.”

You must submit to God’s will and overcome your own selfish desires to experience a full relationship with Him. Identify any areas in your life where you know you are not giving God full control. Pray for God to help you submit to His perfect will.

Excerpted with permission from Seven Prayers Devotional Journal by Stormie Omartian, copyright Stormie Omartian.

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Your Turn

Submission is not a popular word in our culture. We prefer to be on top, in charge, in control. But, with God, the only way to be lifted up by Him is to bow. We have to submit. Come share your thoughts with us on our blog. We want to hear your thoughts! ~ Devotionals Daily