What the Bible Says About Submission in Marriage and Why It’s Beautiful - October 15, 2025

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Devotional Verse: “In the same way, you wives, be submissive to your own husbands so that even if any of them are disobedient to the word, they may be won without a word by the behavior of their wives, 2 as they observe your chaste and [a]respectful behavior” (1 Peter 3:1-2, NASB).

My husband Paul and I have been married for almost sixteen years. From day one, we have viewed our roles in the home as 51/49, meaning we realize that God created men to lead the family, so he has an extra measure of responsibility to protect, provide, and guide the family. And hear me clearly, we are equal in value as people, but never equal in role. The husband being the head of the home doesn’t mean the wife doesn’t get a say in what happens in the family, or that the wife is disconnected from family matters; it means that at the end of the day, the husband is held responsible for the decisions. It is God’s order for the family.  Chaos is inevitable if you step out of God’s ordained order. You can experience God’s peace by walking out the role He has ordered for you specifically and uniquely, dear sister. 

One way a wife can help “lighten the load” for her husband is to fulfill her role in the home with joy and excellence and pray for and encourage her husband in his God-ordained role (despite his shortcomings and flaws).

I have several friends who have a husband who is not the spiritual leader of their home, and it makes submission extremely difficult for them when they feel their husband is not “carrying his weight” in this area of the family. God is very much aware of this dynamic, which is most likely why He inspired Peter to pen these encouraging words for wives:

“In the same way, you wives, be submissive to your own husbands so that even if any of them are disobedient to the word, they may be won without a word by the behavior of their wives, 2 as they observe your chaste and [a]respectful behavior” (1 Peter 3:1-2, NASB).

Whether the husband is a believer or not, men have a weightier responsibility that women were not designed to carry- a burden of accountability before the Lord as the leader of the home and family. As wives, we must view this design as a gift to womanhood. God did not create men and women “equal” in this way. Our roles are different, so it is wise not to strap on an unnecessary burden. Eventually, it will harm you, your marriage, and your family. We cannot walk in submission and service in our home without the help of the Holy Spirit, so it is important to remember to ask God for His grace, especially when our husbands may not be as involved in our home and children’s lives as we would like. The Lord has given you your husband; your marriage covenant is essential to God. He wants to work and change your and your husband’s hearts to reflect His ways as He cultivates the fruit of the Spirit in your lives. How can you praise God for the gift of your marriage? Remaining thankful will help you when tension inevitably arises. Even though nagging may seem like the easy thing to do when we are annoyed or frustrated, let us gain wisdom from the scriptures and win our husbands over with our respect and love, asking the Lord to humble us daily and give us a heart to serve our husbands and our family.

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Emily Massey began writing short stories and poetry as a little girl, entered the blogging world in her early 20s, and published her first book in 2015. She enjoys being a stay-at-home momma while still being able to pursue her passion as a writer. Believing she has been forgiven much, she loves much, and desires to point others to Christ and His redemptive and transforming power, especially by sharing truth found in God’s written Word. If you would like to connect with Emily, you can visit www.emilyrosemassey.com

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