If You’re Worried About Submission
If you’re worried about submission in marriage as a wife, you are not alone and it’s time to clear up some of the misconceptions. There’s no doubt the face of marriage has changed drastically across our nation and faith-based families, Christians and believers in something greater than self are not exempt. Whether looking at what the Bible says or the church, society and recent culture have marred the meaning of submission.
Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. Ephesians 5:21-24 TNIV
I’ve experienced the powerful effects of applying prayer to marriage through “The Power of a Praying Wife” by award winning author and speaker Stormie Omartian. Most recently, in reading and reviewing a new book by Dr. Debbie Cherry called “The Strong-Willed Wife” I’ve found it’s more than just another book telling women how to be a wife. This book not only touches on the dreaded and feared subject of submission, it clearly defines, explains and equips the strong-willed wife with active steps on how to use her personality to honor God and her husband.
Responsibilities: His, Hers and Ours
I like the book because Cherry uses a combination of scripture references from the Bible woven with stories from real strong-willed wives. The women come from a variety of past experiences and backgrounds and could very well be the woman that lives right next door to you, she could even be you. She shares clear examples of spiritual leadership, demonstrations of love and how the wife fills a void in the life of the husband. The division of responsibilities between husband and wife in no way means one is inferior to the other. It’s about being there to support one another and reaching the full potential of all God has created each of you to reach.
“Submission is an attitude of the heart that says we want to show our love for Christ through the way we voluntarily place the goal of oneness within the marriage before our own selfish desires.” –Dr. Debbie Cherry
Christian wives will embrace this book simply because it not only explains the situation, it gives clear steps on how to get back to honoring God and your husband rather than preaching about the consequences of not living in submission. Ministry leaders will find this book to be a helpful tool in guiding a wife in a loving direction toward balancing her personality in a manner that honors both God and her husband.
The author states, “The original plan has never changed for any reason and never will. We are not here to convince God to change His plan. We are here to obey His commands. That is the only way we can see our marriages heal–then society will understand that God’s way is the only way to have a healthy, sustaining marriage. Obedience is the only way we as strong-willed wives will experience the fullness of God’s plans for us and our marriages.” (page 51) —>Click To Tweet
While Debbie has written other books on parenting and marriage this book is a personal testimony of her experience as well as a one of kind approach on the touchy subject of Biblical submission.
Dr. Debbie L. Cherry is a licensed clinical psychologist, author, and speaker. She has been a featured guest on more than thirty radio programs across the nation including Focus on the Family, Prime Time America, Faith to Action, and Christian Interest News. Married for nineteen years to her husband Jim, they live in Springfield, Missouri, with their four children.
Practical Advice for Strong-Willed Wives Part 1 of 2 <—Click the link to listen
Practical Advice for Strong-Willed Wives Part 2 of 2 <—Click the link to listen
To learn more about this book and Biblical submission, check out my new study group which begins Monday, October 14, 2013.
