We were five miles from home – I in the car with the toddler and my pregnant belly, he in the truck ahead of me with the two older children. We were pushing the speed limit trying to beat the storm home after getting stuck out with truck problems. Usually I never drive anywhere in the rain if I can help it, never mind such a storm as was building up around us.
The gusts became violent as the rain sprinkles transformed into a ferocious deluge. My wipers beat the windshield but visibility was nearly zero. My car bucked and pranced like a wild colt, no longer content with straight lines. Should we pull over and stop and wait it out?
A quick call to Sidney and I was told the storm was only to get worse that night – we had to get home before it hit in full force. This was not the type of road were you could just pull over and wait it out….those of you who live in the country know the little winding two-lanes I’m talking about. Nothing for it but to press on.
A few minutes later I called him on the phone – I was scared. “I can’t even see the road!” Indeed – the lightning flashes weren’t enough to show the way clearly in my little car but only illuminated the trees whipping and bowing before the near-tornado-level winds.
“I’ll slow down – see my lights? Just follow me.”
“I can’t see the road though.”
“I can. I can see the way. Just keep your eyes on me.”
And so I did. The rest of the way home – those tempest filled minutes – I never looked for the road. My eyes, trusting, turned to my husband to lead us safely home.
Later we found out that several large trees were blown over along that road, brought to their knees by gale-force winds. Two wrecks had also occurred sometime during the night after we were all safely home and tucked in bed. Pressing on, scary as it seemed, was the right thing. What struck me was how comforted I was following my husband.
Submission.
I think at it’s very core submission is trust. Do I believe that my husband would lead us safely? Strongly? With surety? Yes. What did I have to lose by fixing my eyes on him and carefully following his lead? The God-filled truth is, I lost nothing but the storm in that moment of surrender. And gained a strong safe-haven.
Girl, I got goose bumps reading that. I never thought of submission being so closely related to trust. It’s the same with our Heavenly Father! How much easier it would be to submit to His perfect will if we trusted Him!
I think there are a lot of women who choke at the word “submission”, I used to be one of them. I rebelled against it with my ex for good reasons. He did not have our best interest at heart.
John and I are both Christians and it has made a huge difference for me in our relationship. Because of our common faith, I trust and respect him. He needs that trust and respect to fulfill his role in the relationship.
On the flip side… he has our best interest at heart. He loves and respects me. He loves me as Christ loved the church, as a husband is supposed to love.
So submission is not a four letter word when trust and respect are included from both parties.
Great post Ang!
I just reread this post and I do think there’s a reason why the verse about submission is right beside the verse about cherishing. 🙂 It works best when both pieces are in place.
beautiful. <3
Wow – what an awesome story…. gave me goosebumps! What a wonderful thing to be able to completely trust the ones we share our lives with! 🙂
What a wonderful post filled with strength, trust and courage. Like @AmyHalleran, I used to think of submission as being weak and submissive. Thank God, I changed the way I looked at the word and thank you for sharing this, Angela.
Super Angela.
I think the submission is easiest in the storms and when we are frightened, and they are strong.
The grand challenge, at least in my 33 years on the marriage path, is submission when the seas are calm and peaceful, we are unafraid (and too confident on our own view), and we fail to lean on them when we are capable. It is in the day to day that we really have the opportunity to build them up, and to trust them in the little things…not just the big things. (and sometimes those “little things” are the big things for cementing trust – and respect – from their view)
Love ya both!
We can easily trust someone if we love him/her. We should often love someone or something so that when problems or strom come that someone close to us are people who deserve our trust.
This is beautiful and made me cry. Reminds me so much of my husband, who is contstantly reminding me to trust him and trust God. Thank you Jesus for my husband and for Your love! Thank you for your blog. What a blessing.