Every day, as women of God, we are bombarded. There’s a mold out there that we’re supposed to fit into, and a lot of times, that mold is a man’s mold. We’re supposed to be just as strong. Just as educated. Just as well paid. I get it, and I agree. In God’s eyes, all deserve equal respect and equal treatment. But equal respect and equal treatment doesn’t mean that I have to make myself into a man. I don’t have to do everything a man does, exactly how a man does it. But that’s what we’re bombarded with. To show you’re a strong woman, you need to show that you don’t need a man. You can do everything they can do. You should do everything they do. And sadly, that mindset creeps into the minds of Christian women and thus into the body of Christ.

What I wonder is why we Christian women feel so adamant about needing something else. Why do we need something different than what God has given us? Throughout the New Testament, the Holy Spirit (revealing God’s will) has spelled out exactly what the Father expects of His daughters. So why can’t we, as those daughters, be in love with the roles He’s given us? Why can’t we accept what God expects from us?

It seems that we need to start learning to love our Father more. A lot of times, we use our love for God as the reason we do things outside of His boundaries, but that seems contradictory to me. If I claim to love God, and yet constantly long for something outside of His bounds, do I really love God? Or do I love the talents He’s given me, and want to showcase them for my own benefit? Truly loving God isn’t going against His will for my life so that I can do whatever I want to do. It’s doing what He wants. It’s accepting His ways and learning to thrive within His limits.

Think back to the Old Testament. Eve got in trouble when she decided she wanted to do something outside of God’s boundaries. I don’t know about you, but I definitely want to learn from her.

I just finished a book called My So-Called Life as a Submissive Wife. It was completely eye-opening and toe-stepping. How many times have I tried to take the lead within the day to day aspects of my marriage? I’m ashamed at how many! I can’t imagine publicly trying to take the lead. Stepping out into a pulpit and telling God I’m so in love with Him that I have to do things my way. That’s not what I’m called to do. I’m called to willingly place myself under His commands and under my husband’s leadership. And yes, God called me to that. But not just me, Emily, because I’m awesome at serving and being submissive. Quite the contrary, really. Instead, God called all of His daughters to this role. As women, Christ’s women, we are called to a life of submission and home keeping and heartfelt service. And if we don’t like it, we don’t have to submit. But if we don’t submit, we aren’t doing the will of the Father, which means Jesus’ words of warning in Matthew 7:21 are directed toward us:

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven”

A life of submission is a life of backseat-taking. It’s letting others take the lead. First and foremost, though, it’s letting God take the lead. Letting God have His way with us. Letting Him shape us into women who fill a very needed and specially crafted niche in His kingdom. And it’s learning to love that role. Not complaining. Not squirming. Not looking for loopholes and opportunities to take charge. It’s thriving in a hard role. A really, really hard role. But the payoff will be worth it all.