~Darene Cole
“Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.” Hebrews 13:17
Throughout Scripture, we are reminded of the importance of obeying and submitting to the godly leaders the Lord has placed over our lives. Hebrews 13:17 reminds us that spiritual leadership is a serious responsibility. Those who lead are entrusted with watching over the souls in their care, and one day, will give an account to God. Yet there is an important distinction we must remember: we are called to obey godly leadership, but our trust must rest in God alone.
Proverbs 3:5–6 says: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”
The Hebrew word translated “trust” here is bāṭaḥ, which carries the idea of clinging to, confiding in, relying upon, or placing one’s confidence in someone. There is something beautiful about placing these passages side by side. Hebrews calls us to obey and submit to our leaders, while Proverbs calls us to trust completely in the Lord. We see a powerful picture of this in the story of the Shunammite woman. In 2 Kings 4:27b, Elisha says: “Leave her alone! She is in bitter distress, but the Lord has hidden it from me and has not told me why.”
Even the prophet Elisha did not know everything. There were things God had not revealed to him. What a humbling reminder that God alone knows all things. God can use people to speak into our lives and give our leaders wisdom and insight, but He remains the ultimate source of our direction. The Lord is inviting us into a deeper level of trust. Sometimes we are willing to obey God, but struggle to trust Him. Today, let us learn to submit to the people God has placed over us while keeping our eyes firmly fixed on Him.
Lord, teach me to obey and submit to the godly leaders You have placed over my life. But above all, teach me to trust You completely. Help me never to place in people the trust, dependence, or confidence that belongs to You alone. Amen!