Let us Live a Life That Glorifies God
“Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name goes all the glory for your unfailing love and faithfulness.”
What is the first thought that comes to your mind when you think of glory or glorifying? If you look up the definition of glorify, vocabulary.com says, "To glorify is to praise or honor something or someone to an extreme degree." As a person who loves singing praise and worship, I automatically think of praise and worship through song. However, that is not the only way to give praises to our God. God wants us to give him praise, acknowledge him, focus on him in every single thing we do in life. Everything we do is for the glory of God. We were created to glorify God. That doesn't mean that we're locked away in a prayer closet all day or walking around singing praises all day. Now if that's your thing, I'm not going to stop you, but that is not the only way to give God praise. It's in everything we do, we acknowledge God for who he is and what he has provided for us. Praise God with our work. Praise God with our bodies. Praise God by the way we love others.
“And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice - the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.”
God is so amazing and so intentional. He had a plan for us before we were born. He created us and equipped us with everything we need to live the plan He has for us on this earth. We all have a purpose for our existence. That purpose aligns with the growing and strengthening the Kingdom of God. In order to understand how we are to do that, we have to lean on and trust God. He wants to have a relationship with us, and through that relationship He will guide us to live our lives according to His will. God tells us that following His plan will lead to good and a future of hope. He also says to trust in Him and He will direct our path. It's not just the big decisions God wants to be a part of. It's every aspect of our lives. Throughout his word he talks about not just surviving, but living a life of abundance and overflow through Him. He didn't say moments of abundance. He didn't say you will have abundance only in heaven. Jesus said he came so that we will have life and have it more abundantly (John 10:10).That does not mean hard times won't come. What it does mean is with God, even those hard times you will be able to experience abundance. An abundance of peace. An abundance of love. An abundance of joy. These are promises we have from the Lord. We have to spread that news, and let everyone know of this life God wants us to have. How better to spread the news, than to live a life that glorifies God? You be the example of what God has intended for us and let everyone know this life you live is because of the love and the faithfulness of our Lord.
How can we live a life that glorifies God?
Religion would make you think this means we are required to be perfect, but it's actually the opposite. It's understanding that we are not perfect, but still living a life that shows the appreciation and gratitude of the sacrifice made by Jesus Christ. That sacrifice made us righteous even with our imperfections.
“Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory.”
We are to live a life not focusing on the mistakes of the past, but instead learning from those things and using those experiences to let others know of the goodness of God.
Our life is to be a light in a world full of darkness. Regardless of the mistakes we have made, the wrong someone may have caused us, we can be confident in knowing that God will use those things for our good (Genesis 50:20). Living a life of confidence in God's word, love of yourself and others, and discipline to align with God's will, allows us to live a life everyday that glorifies God. He just wants us to live a life of faith and trust in Him. Not just say it with your words, but also live it through your actions. Can we trust God like never before? Can we show God that we trust in His will for us through our actions?
Prayer
Lord we thank you for all that you are. We thank you for creating us to overcome this world. We thank you that you continue to reveal your truth in us and through us. God we come to you asking for your continued and clear guidance as we make all decisions. We desire to live a life that truly reflects you, so we ask that you continue to manifest yourself in our daily lives. We will live to be a light for your Kingdom. We know that it is only with you, that we will get to experience the true plans you have for our lives. We thank you for your unwavering faithfulness and love towards us. In Jesus name, Amen.