Who do you live to glorify in your life? This is a tough question to answer honestly. When I was asked this question I couldn’t answer it. I had to really think & pray about it. I do think about bringing God glory, but I know that it’s only in certain parts of my life. I would love to say I live to glorify God full time, but I know that is not true. I know I live to glorify myself a lot of the time. I am not actively thinking about who gets the glory when I make every decision that comes my way. I usually weigh my decisions on what is best for me & my life. How does this effect me? What’s the best path for me? I think about God being glorified thru certain parts of my life, but not so much in every part. I am too small to glorify. I will end up being insignificant in my attempts to glorify myself. I will end up being unsatisfied and miserable. I know this to be true because I have actively lived for myself the majority of my life. I know that when I do seek to bring God glory thru my actions & choices that I am full of joy & satisfaction. Since I have experienced this type of satisfaction, why do I continue to choose to glorify self instead of God? I believe the answer to that question is simple. I am not actively thinking about who I live to glorify in & thru my life on a regular daily basis.

What would my life look like if I actively thought about this question daily? How would my life change if I chose to ask what glorifies God in every decision throughout my day? My life & the lives of others are directly affected by my choices, my responses, & my words. How does what I’m about to say glorify God? Lord knows I need help keeping my mouth shut! Sometimes keeping my mouth shut brings God more glory than opening it. I pray God will keep a guard over my mouth in those times that I need to keep silent in order to glorify Him (Psalms 141:3 Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth; Keep watch over the door of my lips). I need to respond to the choices I face daily in a way that chooses to bring God glory.

I want to choose to respond to plain & simple daily decisions in a way that glorifies God the most as well as the big decisions. It’s scary. It’s living on the edge of uncertainty, but I know it’s worth it. It’s the only thing that satisfies me. In order to do this I have to live in complete dependence on God which is the safest & most secure place for me even though it doesn’t always feel so safe or secure. God created me to depend on Him & to glorify Him. So it’s only natural that I live in such a way that truly reflects this in my life. However this is not natural for me & it is very hard for me to do! I am a control freak. I have a “type A” personality. I want a plan to follow that outlines every twist & turn. I am learning that I don’t need to know the plan. I just need to trust the One who makes the plans. Trust glorifies God. I have peace when I trust Him & have to depend on Him for everything. Yes, I said, Have to depend on Him. Fully depending on God only seems to happen when I have no other choice. I do depend on Him daily, but it’s different. During these times I have to depend on Him, I am fully surrendered & dependent on Him to do whatever it is that I am facing. When I trust & depend on myself my peace disappears & I am afraid of the unknowns. My full dependence & complete trust in God glorifies Him. I need to remember that when I’m faced with circumstances beyond my control. I can choose to depend on myself & be fearful or I can choose dependence on God which produces peace & ultimately gives Him glory.

I know we were all created to glorify God, but I want to know what I was created for specifically. What is my specific purpose in life? What did you create me to do? I prayed these question right before I listened to Andy Stanley’s podcast, “Passin’ it On”. It amazed me how quickly God answered those questions. He told me loud & clear that I was created specifically to glorify Him in all my ways. In my success, my failures, my struggles, my waiting, my entire life. When I am praised for my success I need to reflect the glory back to Him. When I struggle and people see me or ask me how things are going I need to reflect glory and praise to Him that He’s making a way, providing, and carrying me thru. When I argue with a friend or family member I need to glorify Him with my words. When I am faced with a parenting problem I need to respond in a way that glorifies Him. He wants my entire daily life from the beginning to the end of that day to bring Him glory. He doesn’t want me to compartmentalize my life into areas that can bring Him glory. Every area can bring Him glory if I apply this truth by actively seeking to glorify Him in all my ways.

Lord, I want to glorify You instead of myself! Forgive me where I have glorified myself whether I knew it or not. Forgive me for living for myself and my wants and my needs. I want to glorify You in all my ways & everyday! Father, You know I need a job or something that produces income for me to provide for me & Savannah. I don’t know which way to go right now. I don’t really have any options to choose from at this point other than to glorify You in the wait for You to provide for another source of income. What glorifies You the most is the choice I want. If I were to have a job that provides another income such as cleaning contracts does that glorify You? Or if You provide me with a job at HP or somewhere else that makes less, but allows me to pursue my God given desires/passions such as helping others whether by helping them get to know You, encouraging them in their walk with You, or helping them reach their health/fitness goals. Neither one of these are actual options at this point, but I want you to provide me with the option that glorifies You the most. Whatever it is Lord, I want to live a life that glorifies You! So until You provide me with a job/income that I need I will glorify You during the wait. I will glorify You during the wait for the desires of my heart to be fulfilled, & all that I’m faced with today! I wont do it perfectly, but I will try my best. Help me to do this each day. Help me see the choice that reflects where You get the glory! Help me to reflect all the glory back to You in all that I do. I know all the good I do comes from You! Thank You for all that You do in me, thru me, & for me that brings You glory! I love You Father! In Jesus precious name I pray these things! Amen!

CAT