Celebration of Discipline Week 7: Submission

This is week seven of our 12-week series exploring Celebration of Discipline by Richard Foster. 

Join us as we journey through the twelve spiritual disciplines found in the book choosing to go deeper with Jesus and grow in our spiritual lives. It’s not too late to join us – so grab a copy and dive in!

Here’s last week’s blog where Josh shared his thoughts on Solitude. You can also watch his video update too.


 

Discipline Seven: Submission

The reason for practicing the Disciplines is freedom. 

That’s probably not how you expected a blog on submission to start, but it’s important that we understand the reason behind the Disciplines – especially when we come to one that, on the outside, can look like it brings the opposite. The reason behind ALL of the Disciplines is freedom to know God and to be known by him more fully. 

The sad truth is that, for many of us, submission is something that we often associate with manipulation, misuse of authority and oppression. It can almost be a bit of a dirty word in our modern world. Speaking as a woman, the word can conjure up pictures of women being expected to be seen and not heard, always obedient and never difficult. The scriptures have been misused time and time again to convey this message of oppression.

However, when we come to scripture and look at the context in which it was written, the reality is that instead of being restrictive and oppressive, it is in fact honouring and freeing to the groups of people it addresses.

 
 
 

‘They knew they were no longer bound by societal definitions and norms. Yet, out of this place of newfound freedom they were called to submit’

Richard Foster gives the examples in Colossians 2:18-22: ‘Wives, be subject to your husbands… Children, obey your parents… Slaves, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters…’

The revolutionary things the Richard Fosters points out is that these groups are addressed as people who are free to make their own decision. People who are free to decide who they do or do not obey or who they submit to. When in fact, in first-century culture, these were all groups who were second-class citizens and therefore who were without a right to decide!

What had happened was that they had realised that they were free from status in society because the gospel itself had challenged this way of life. They knew they were no longer bound by societal definitions and norms. Yet, out of this place of newfound freedom they were called to submit.

 
 
 

The call to submission is for no other reason than that Jesus himself modelled submission. We see Jesus submit to the will of his Father most notably in the Garden of Gethsemane, where he makes it clear that his will and the Father’s will are at odds, but that he is willing to submit. Jesus’ submission to his Father is our model. 

There are limits of course, and the Bible also makes this clear. For example, if someone in authority to you asked you to join in with something that would harm others, I’m sure you would find it easy to make the decision that it’s not a moment to submit. When it comes to any decision of submission, we must always measure it by what we read in Acts 5:29: ‘We must obey God rather than men.’ If submission ever calls us to a place which is not honouring God, loving our neighbour as ourselves or causing harm we know that this is outside of what God would have us do. 

In the area of submission we have to be acutely aware that we have a guide and mentor who is ever present with us and who guides us. The Holy Spirit is the ultimate helper. 

So, there is a question to be asked – what does this really look like? Richard Foster outlines seven areas in which we are called to submit. Why not pick one this week to engage with? 

 

 

Submission to God

Why not take a moment every morning this week to echo the prayer of Thomas à Kempis: ‘As thou wilt; what thou wilt; when they wilt.’

Submission to the Scripture

As you spend time reading the Bible this week, ask the Holy Spirit to highlight where you can submit more fully to understanding and applying the word. 

Submission to our Family

In this time of lockdown this can sometimes feel like the last thing we want to do, but how can we choose this week to let someone else have their way? It might just look like listening rather than retaliating when harsh words are said, or it could even just be letting them order a pizza when you really wanted Chinese! 

Submission to Neighbours

This looks like simple acts of kindness – asking if they need anything from the shops the next time you go or offering your tools when they are in need. Richard Foster says, ‘No task is too small, too trifling, for each one is an opportunity to live in submission.’

5. Submission to the Believing Community 

Many of us might find that the way we serve in church in normal circumstances has changed dramatically. How can you offer yourself to the church community to serve and submit in the way they need?

6. Submission to the Broken

Every culture has ‘the widows and orphans’. Who are the people we know who might be having a hard time coping? Pray and ask God who these people are and what you can do to serve them this week.

7. Submission to the World

When Richard Foster wrote this in 1980 he wrote about the need to take environmental responsibility for the way that we live. Sadly, many of us are only realising now just how important that really is. How can we submit this week to be a responsible member of our planet? 

 

 

Richard Foster recommends these daily scripture readings as we explore solitude this week:

Monday: The call to submission – Mark 8:34, John 12:24–26

Tuesday: The example of Christ – Philippians 2:1–11

Wednesday: The example of Abraham – Genesis 22:1–19

Thursday: The example of Paul – Galatians 2:19–21

Friday: Submission in the marketplace – Matthew 5:38–48

Saturday: Submission in the family – Ephesians 5:21–6:9, 1 Peter 3:1–9

Sunday: Submission with reference to the State – Romans 13:1–10, Acts 4:13–20, 5:27–29, 16:35–39

 

Video Update

Here’s Helen’s video update at the end of the week.


Follow @onelifeleaders on Instagram to continue the journey.

We’ll be sharing blog posts, encouraging quotes and video reflections on each chapter of Celebration of Discipline.

Helen Davies

Helen is Director of Training at Onelife.

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Celebration of Discipline Week 6: Solitude