The Power of Trust in Your Faith JourneySýnishorn

Submission: Yielding the Right of Way to God: You’re not the driver!

What does it mean to give someone the right of way? In driving, yielding the right of way means letting another vehicle pass before you. Similarly, yielding the right of way to God means submitting to His sovereignty and allowing Him to take the lead in your life.

To submit to God, we first need to acknowledge that our lives are not our own. This can be difficult to accept because we are naturally inclined toward independence and autonomy. We often want to be in control, making our own decisions and setting our own rules. From a young age, we’re taught to be self-reliant. Yet, when we chose to make Christ our Lord and Savior, we surrendered our right to be in control. The Bible tells us that we were bought at a price (1 Corinthians 6:20), and now we belong to Jesus.

Understanding that our lives are not our own compels us to obey. Obedience is crucial to submitting to God’s will and growing in faith. God’s Word teaches that we must follow His commands if we call Him Lord. Submission to God involves dying daily to our desires and plans and trusting that He has crafted a path for us with a hopeful future.

Consider the story of Peter in Luke 5:4-7. After a fruitless night of fishing, Peter encountered Jesus on the shore. Despite having caught nothing, Jesus instructed him to let down his nets again. Peter responded, “Because you say so, I will let the nets down.” In obedience, Peter experienced a miraculous catch so abundant that he needed help from his friends. This story illustrates that saying “yes” to God, even when we don’t fully understand His plan, can lead to extraordinary results because He knows what’s best.

Just as you would let another driver pass when yielding the right of way, we are called to let God lead our lives. This involves recognizing His sovereignty and submitting to His guidance.

You can choose to submit to God today. Each morning, ask Him to open your spiritual eyes and ears to His will for you. Throughout the day, be attentive to His promptings and obedient to His guidance. By making this a daily habit, you’ll begin to acknowledge Him in everything you do.

Reflection Questions

1. In what areas of my life am I not letting God take the driver's seat? Ask Him to reveal these areas to you and help you release control.

Devotional Written by Shakeila Nicholls