God Be Glorified

Over the past few months, Jesus has been showing me more about His glory.  I had the opportunity to share a little bit of this at a church event last night, and I pray that Jesus is glorified as I share these thoughts here.

Our goal in life should be glorify God.  According to John Piper, glorifying God means "feeling and thinking and acting in ways that reflect His greatness, that make much of God, that give evidence of the supreme greatness..."

We are called to consider how we can bring Him glory in our choices and conversations, in any season or circumstance, whether it makes sense or not.  The question should continually be this: How can I glorify God in this?  As it turns out, this life is actually not at all about our happiness, comfort, or fulfillment.  Although we may feel happy, comfortable, and fulfilled at different points in life, that's not the main goal.  It's about God's glory.

When we use the phrase "God has a plan," we usually mean "God has a plan for me."  Yes, He does.  However, I'm realizing more and more that God's plan is not about our finite blips on the earth, but about His overarching redemptive story.  By His grace, we are woven into the plot line of that story, but none of us is the main character!  As supporting roles, our one job is to bring Him glory.

So, what gives God glory?  How do we actually glorify Him?  This is far from a comprehensive study of God's glory, but here are a few thoughts from recent personal reflection.

• Praise: In the Psalms, David pours out many prayers and songs of praise to God (Psalms 19, 29, 34...); however, it's important to note that these declarations are often made in the context of suffering and desperation (Psalms 25, 86...).  When we choose to acknowledge God's goodness and praise Him in the midst of challenging circumstances, we can be confident that He is glorified.  (This playlist is a compilation of songs that have been meaningful expressions of praise for me lately.)

• Abide: As we stay connected to the Vine, bear the fruit of His Spirit, and bring bold requests before Him, God is honored (John 15:8).  Utter dependence on the Lord and delight in His presence brings Him glory.

• Serve:  We are called to use our God-given gifts to serve others in the strength that He gives us, "so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ" (1 Peter 4:11).  Our faithful service will, in turn, cause others to praise our Heavenly Father (Matthew 5:16)!

• Trust:  Hebrews 11 provides an extensive list of men and women who had faith in God, despite uncertainty and hardship.  Faith - that is, "being sure of what we hope for" (Hebrews 11:1) - is unnatural and counter-cultural.  Just as Daniel (Daniel 6) and Joseph (Genesis 50:20) believed and praised God without knowing the outcomes of their situations, we glorify God when we choose to trust and rest and find our confidence in Him.

• Obey:  Listening to the Holy Spirit and following His leading - that's obedience.  We glorify God by obeying not with dutiful compliance, but joyful purpose.  This pure obedience demonstrates our love for the Lord (John 14:15).  There is no guarantee that obeying will lead to better circumstances, but we can rely on the guidance of the Good Shepherd, who knows His sheep intimately and offers abundant life (John 10:11-15).

Ultimately, as we strive to live like Christ each day, God will be glorified.  Our attitudes should be modeled after Jesus, who humbled Himself as a servant and was obedient unto death (Philippians 2:5-13).  Jesus' mission on earth was to glorify His Father, and He accomplished that powerfully in His death and resurrection (John 17:4-5)!

Does this focus on God's glory remove the pain, confusion, or disappointment that we experience?  Definitely not.  There is a perpetual tension between our shattered realities and His perfect goodness.  In one hand we hold our brokenness, while the other contains His unchanging character and promises.  One does not discredit the other, but they exist beside each other in an open-handed posture of surrender.  Praise God that this tension is temporary, and we have the hope of eternity with Him (Col. 3:4, 1 Cor. 13:12)!

In humility and trust, may we continually choose to ask, How can I glorify You in this, God?  In seeking and obeying, we have our answer.

In what other ways can we glorify God?

How are you choosing to praise, abide, serve, trust, and obey 
in this current season of life?