Give the Glory to God
When you get up in the morning, what are your first thoughts? What do you think of as you start your day? I would guess that your first thoughts are not of God – they’re probably more along the lines of what is on your to-do list and what you have to accomplish during the day, or what tasks lie ahead of you at work or at home.
What if you started your day off in a different way? What if you determined FIRST that you would glorify God in ALL your works for the whole day? Would that make a difference in what you would choose to do, or would it simply make a difference in how you choose to do the tasks set before you?
If you completely and wholly give your day to the Lord, what would your life look like then? Would it be drastically different, or would you just be drastically different while living the same life you’ve always lived? For some, it is not possible to change their job or their family or their address in order to give glory to God, but for others it will be.
By giving glory to God, what I’m talking about is not seeking glory or accolades for yourself, but giving your every thought and action over to those things/actions/emotions that you know will bring glory to the Lord and cause others to see His light shining through you.
“Those who love their life in this world will lose it. Those who care nothing for their life in this world will keep it for eternity.” John 12:25 NLT
Choosing to give all glory to God, in effect giving your very life – every action, every word, every thought – over to Him, and trusting in His will for you will allow you to glorify Him in ways you never thought possible, but it is also the answer to how to lose your life while you keep it and keep your life while you lose it.
Does God want you to drastically change your life? I cannot answer that. But for most, I would stay that it is not necessary to completely refashion the physicality of your life – you are, after all, right where God allows you to be. You may not need to quit your job and become a missionary and go to Africa in order to glorify God. You can glorify Him right in the “corner” of the world you are in. Do you have young children at home? Then teach them about Jesus, and in doing so glorify God. Do you have a job to go to every day, then allow His light to shine through you, work in unexpected ways, be self-sacrificing, behave like Jesus, and in doing so you will glorify Him. Do you have neighbors? Behave in such a way as to show them the glory of God. Do you have friends? Model your behaviors and conversations with them in such a way as to bring God glory. In EVERY situation, there is a way to bring glory to Him. If you are unsure about what that may be, then pray about it and ask for guidance. The answer WILL come.
In the mean time, each morning when you wake, mindfully give “yourself” over to God to be used as an instrument as He sees fit, and then do your best to “walk” through your day in a way that will bring honor and glory to your Creator, the Almighty, the Alpha and the Omega.