Learning to Submit to God in Your Pain

In all your ways, submit to Him,
and He will make your paths straight. (Proverbs 3:6 NIV)

The above scripture tells us very clearly how we can come into perfect alignment with the Spirit. The simple truth is that there is only one way to do it; in all your ways, submit to Him.

When one speaks of submitting to God, we only relate to it in the spiritual area of our lives. We submit to God through our daily prayers, worship, bible reading, fasting etc. What about the other areas of our life, such as family, marriage, the workplace and life in general?

I need to be honest with you here. I have personally struggled at times to totally submit to God when it comes to my preferences and daily routines. It is not such a pleasant experience and, many times, very painful. At such times, I have come face to face with my weaknesses and failures. Surrendering your will to God during a trial is often more difficult than the trial itself.

The Bible speaks about the 'mind' of our fallen nature, saying:

Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. (Romans 8:7 NKJV)

The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so. (Romans 8:7 NIV)

It is for this we must choose to make our minds obedient to Christ. We must choose to abide in the Spirit if we are to synchronize with the Spirit.

God has given me many wonderful experiences in the realm of the Spirit, and I thank Him for it. However, I must frankly admit that there have been times when I have been caught up in the busyness of life and have ignored God's voice amidst the din. Most of the time, I have struggled to actually do what I feel He's asking me to do. That's where most of my testing moments lie.

Our earthly fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best, but God disciplines us for our good in order that we may share in His holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. (Hebrews 12:10-11 NLT)

When you discover the purpose behind your pain, it will be easier to submit to God. Viktor Emil Frankl once said, "What is to give light must endure burning."

When I look back, I realize how much pain and agony could have been avoided only if I had listened to His still, small, gentle voice.

The question that often crops up in many minds is, "Does God care about the little things in my life?" The simple answer is "yes." God is concerned about the smallest details in our lives because He has counted the very hairs on our heads (Luke 12:7). From another angle, if the nations are "as dust on the scales," what is big to God? (See Isaiah 40:15.)

God wants to speak to us about every area of our lives, both the great things and the small things. He wants us to save us hours and days, and weeks of unproductive efforts, but for this to happen, we must learn to flow with Him.

Father, in the name of Jesus and in obedience to Your will, I submit to the leading of the Holy Spirit, whom You have sent to live in me. Amen.