Spiritual Submissiveness

I base most of this study on the talk by Elder Maxwell called "Willing to Submit."

"The submissive soul will be led aright, enduring some things well while being anxiously engaged in setting other things right--all the time discerning the difference."

There are some things in life that we have control over and some things that we don't. It is vital to our spiritual growth and our spiritual submissiveness that we are able to discern the difference. For example, I have little control over when I find the man I am to marry but I can take control and make myself a better wife and mother. Or, my aunt has no control over her infertility but she can be anxiously engaged in her church callings and raising her miracle children.

"Spiritual submissiveness means, instead, community and communion as the mind and the heart become settled. We then spend much less time deciding, and much more time serving; otherwise, the more hesitation, the less inspiration."

By handing our lives over to the Lord, becoming completely submissive to His will, only controlling what we can control, we instinctively lighten our load. Our yoke becomes easy and our burden becomes light. The things that would normally worry us don't anymore.

"Submissiveness also checks our tendency to demand advance explanations of the Lord as a perplexed yet trusting Nephi understood; "I know that [God] loveth his children; nevertheless, I do not know the meaning of all things."

When we are truly submissive to the Lord, and faithful I might add, we do not need explanations. We trust in Him completely.

So how do we become submissive to the will of God?

• Discern between the things we can control and the things we can't.
• I can control TODAY
• Serve more and spend less time trying to decide how things should work out.
• Trust that the things that happen and the things that we are asked to do are for our benefit. Don't demand explanations.