Submission Holds

 

      This blog will probably state some things I normally wouldn’t say. To my fellow Q, you may be shocked as to what I’ll say here. Most people who know me will be suprised at the very least but I want to share what God has been doing.

 

 

     Did you ever play that game Mortal Kombat? It was a video game from around 1993. My brother and I played video games a lot, doctors said it was good for our eyes and such. We just enjoyed playing them. I remember playing Mortal Kombat. It’s wierd but it was probably my favorite. Two evils fighting against one another; building strength and finding new ways to finish the other. They even had special moves they’d do. When the other was weak enough you could use your ‘finishing move’. The game would always tell you in a creepy voice; “Finish Him!!!”. Each character had different powers. Some could throw lightening, some could throw ice, some threw fire, and others had secret weapons. Strangly this game relates to some growth recently.

 

       Most would consider me and independant, strong woman. There is nothing wrong with that. On my race my squad was full of men who needed space to be men. I realized that often my independance and strong will would push them to the background. I began realizing that I was not giving them space to be who they should be. In return I would just become angry because I wanted them to do things; I didn’t always want to be in charge or responsible for all decisions. Even when I would lead with another leader, I just pushed my anger and frustration aside and made my own decisions. I didn’t even consider the fact that maybe they just needed to be asked or just to know that I wanted their opinion and help. Some characters in Mortal Kombat can do submission holds. To me the game is like the battle I fight with my flesh and pride. The last few months have been walking in a lot more freedom from these things. Maybe I actually have to change how I do things in order for others to step into things. Maybe I have to be in a submission hold to allow room for grace, love, and mercy to flow.

 

     In the last couple months of leading with Neal God has revealed to me more of how my stubborness and pride dam up the river of grace, love, mercy, and freedom. This not only for those around me but for myself. I haven’t even been submitting to the Lord because of that. I am not saying that we shouldn’t have a voice or opinion but maybe we should change how we deliver our words and our attitudes. Scripture talks about submission and authority. It says in 1 Peter that God set it up that way. There are authority figures in our lives for a reason; that it is his will. Somehow we have to find the middle where we aren’t so hard; that we all give a little. At some point we come to a place where we let go of pride; we find our confidence in Christ, we walk in that freedom, and bring people to the greater places with us instead of leaving them in our dust.

  

   (Colton and Neal; the men on the team)

 

     Instead of fighting the submission holds….maybe we should just give in.

 

 

 

 

1 Peter 2:13-17

  James 4:7-10