SUBJECTION
“Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?_- Heb. 12:9
We often speak of the sanctifying affect of suffering, but strictly speaking it is because we have surrendered that we are sanctified, not because we have suffered. Many suffer without becoming better, but none surrender without being sanctified. While suffering can be an important part of the process it alone doesn’t produce change.
As Christians we should be careful that we don’t waste our sorrow by refusing to surrender. That generally brings more suffering. God knows how to get our attention and when we refuse to respond He turns up the heat and increases the pressure. You can run but you can’t hide. You can resist but you can’t prevail.
It is for our own good that we surrender ourselves to God and we should do it as fast and fully as possible. It is only as we present ourselves to God that we prevent sin, protect ourselves, and prepare ourselves for service (Rom.6:12-14). We are made safe only as we surrender.
While all suffering isn’t caused by sin in our lives we shouldn’t be too quick to dismiss it as a possibility. Trials should cause us to examine ourselves as to the will of God. A simple command, promise, or word of warning is all we should need to yield ourselves to God.
Sadly sometimes we are as stubborn as we are sinful. Loved ones can beg and plead, preachers can thunder our warnings, and trials leave us begging for mercy yet we refuse to yield. The Holy Spirit can convict us to the point that we are quaking in our boots, yet we resist. We convince ourselves that we can be happy without holiness, but it never happens. And there will be no peace until we give up the pursuit of self-will and surrender all to the Lord. There is no other path. We can’t say “no” to sin until we say “yes” to our Savior. – HDS
David Stone
Lakeway Baptist Church
5801 FM 1960 E
Humble, TX. 77346
