True freedom will come when we submit to God's will. God is neither silent nor inactive. He is Creator; He is sustainer.

The apostle Paul declares, "By him [Jesus Christ] all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together" (Colossians 1:16-17).

In those two verses, the phrase "all things" is used four times. We must conclude He means all things. Not just the atoms, the molecules, the cells, the planets, and the stars, but relationships, families, people groups, nations, etc.

If we are going to live a biblical, God-centered life, we must conclude that God is in control of everything. Embracing God's sovereignty is redemptive.

"What about me?" "Why should I take orders from anyone?" "What makes someone else's opinion better than mine?" Those three questions are self-centered, not God-centered. They represent a huge oxymoron to any true follower of Christ professing to be living by faith.

Hebrews 11:6 states, "Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him." If we believe that God rewards the God-seeker, why should we be anxious? We cannot hold these views at arm's length and live with joy; we must go "all in" with God.

The first step of submission is to recognize that we need Jesus Christ as Savior. The death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ must be the foundation of everything. With Christ as Savior, we must also let Him be Lord of our lives.

In Matthew 6:25-34, God's care of us and for us in every practical area is established. Let us move on from the level of what we eat, drink, or wear. God has settled that issue.

The apostle Peter confirms God's love and faithfulness in 1 Peter 5:7: "Cast all your anxiety on him [God], because he cares for you."

The next step of submission is living life. We must submit to God and His will for our lives. What is God's will for our lives? It is whatever comes to us as Christ-followers.

We live in a fallen world. Justice is coming, but only fully when Jesus Christ returns to earth in power and glory to establish His kingdom fully. In the meantime, we trust Him by submitting in the power of the grace of God.

Paul says, "Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ" (Ephesians 5:21). That submission is rooted in the mind of Christ, stated in Philippians 2:3: "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves."

The apostle Paul gives us the proper attitude we should have about the government: "Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established" (Romans 13:1). Once again, the grace of God will allow us to submit to what might even be a bad government.

Also, as employees, we are to submit in heart attitude, not just to be man-pleasers but to serve our bosses just as we serve Christ (Ephesians 6:5-8).

Is there ever any room for resistance to an earthly authority? Yes, when submitting to man would be an obvious and direct violation of God's Word. Peter and John told the Jewish rulers in Acts 4:19, in response to their orders to stop talking about Jesus, "Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God's sight to obey you rather than God."

Most of us will not be confronted with what Peter and John faced. We will fight our battles between being self-centered and God-centered. Living God-centered is being submissive to God's will. Being self-centered is selfish. We know the difference.