Do you ever think about God’s glory when you’re mopping up spilled chocolate milk under the kitchen table? How about when you’re speed walking down the supermarket aisles throwing items into your cart because everyone at home is waiting for dinner, and you’re running late? I bet you don’t really think about God’s glory when you’re changing lanes on the freeway or helping a child with homework.
I don’t either.
In the rush of life, it’s easy to lose sight of our purpose:
God created us to live for his glory.
Recently I had the chance to hear a fiery preacher challenge us to a higher vision of life: to live each day for God’s glory.
He said our mission is this:
And the reason behind it is this:
It sounded good, but I thought glorifying God was for Billy Graham and missionaries in Africa. What does my ordinary life have to do with God’s magnificent splendor?
Clouded Vision
Life can cloud our vision. The mundane, the chaotic, the phone calls, the lesson plans, the meal plans, and the laundry. Our vision of a magnificent God who has called us to glorify Him through our words and actions gets blurred. We lose sight of our calling.
Just like my daughter. Last month we had her vision tested and found out her glasses were way out of sync with her eyes. The girl could hardly see. Since her eyesight had changed gradually, she hadn’t noticed. She needed a new prescription.
We need a new prescription on our glory glasses.
We need a renewed vision of our great and glorious God and His purpose for us. God created us to live for His glory. He has a majestic plan for us to magnify Him in our everyday lives.
“Whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” 1 Cor. 10:31b
Our Lives Declare God’s Glory When We’re Faithful in the Little Things
A job well done testifies to the greatness of our Creator when we do it for Him. Time spent laughing with your kids and the kiss you plant on your daughter’s sweet face reflect His love. And the spilled chocolate milk? Another opportunity to serve and glorify God if you do it with a servant attitude.
We glorify God When We Cultivate Contentment
Grateful hearts that lift up thanks honor God. Appreciation for our loved ones and contentment with our possessions bring Him glory. John Piper says it best: “God is most glorified when we are most satisfied in Him.”
We Magnify God When We Make Him Known
When we offer to pray for a co-worker, invite a friend to church, and share our good news, we fulfill our purpose. When we pray for the lost, support those working overseas, or serve the hurting in our cities, we participate in God’s mission to be glorified throughout the earth.
If you’re anything like me, you might need a new prescription on your glory glasses, so you can see God and His purpose for you more clearly. Will you join me in praying these two prayers?
- “God, show me your glory. I need a bigger picture of You.”
- “How can I honor you today?”
Now it’s your turn: Does your vision ever get cloudy?
Linking up with Holly Barrett’s #TestimonyTuesday, Kelly Balarie’s #RaRalinkup, Holley Gerth’s Coffee for your Heart, and Arabah Joy’s Grace and Truth. Check out these communities for more encouragement.
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There is such wisdom in your post today. We let the ordinary routines of life as well as the spills and mishaps take our eyes off the thing we need the most and that is God. By turning to Him and praising Him for the each and every thing whether it is good or bad, we learn to focus on what is important. Your last idea of magnifying God when we make Him known hit me this morning with a new understanding. I send God asking me to do this more and more and the thought of it is scary because reaching out to others to share God is our of my comfort zone. I can do it behind my computer screen but face to face is very hard. I will be praying that I heed God’s voice and take His Hand as I make Him known. Hope your week is blessed.
I want to make Him known more and more too, Mary. And yes, the everyday routines can wear us down and take our focus off of God. I liked your post today about centering your life on God. I so want to do that, friend. You have a good week too.
Uh…yeah. Like when I came home last week from my Florida trip to crumby, sticky floors and a refrigerator stuff with old food that needed emptied. My tribe had been busy – but not with housekeeping! ACK!! I scrubbed and cleaned in a fury for half the day, got my glory glasses on, and ended better. You’re making it practical, friend, and that’s what keeps me coming back!
I’ve been meaning to stop by and visit, I always love your posts.
Thanks for the reminder today. I’m going to put those suckers on and glorify God – even though my clean floors of last week are now sticky again from Tiny Tornado and the cheerios are stuck in the carpet. (Again.)
Love it, Ruthie! I’m puttin’ those suckers on too. Even though some things in life today threaten to grump the joy and the glory out of me. Bless your heart and may He pour His spirit on you while you get those cheerios out of the carpet. (And on me while I home school my daughter, who, bless HER heart, HATES SPANISH WITH A PASSION!)
Betsy … thanks for your reminder that we were made for so much more than all the earthly things that clutter our vision and creep into our souls. Faithfulness, contentment …
Makes me think of that verse, ‘Godliness with contentment is great gain.’
Love this visit today!
Amen, Linda! Godliness with contentment is GREAT gain, indeed!
Thanks, Betsy! I needed this reminder today. And I thought of another one…”We glorify God when we choose His Reign over our own.” As we face each moment large or small, we make a choice between his reign or ours, his plan or ours, his purpose or ours, his will or ours, his Kingdom or ours!
Amen, Jenny. I love that We choose His Reign over our own.” Thanks for that. I want to choose His kingdom first.
Oh Betsy, I needed this today! “A new prescription for your glory glasses.” Love that. I can definitely use one at this point in my life. Thank you for continuing to press on, dear friend, even when that prescription needs to be renewed. Your faithfulness is a testimony and a blessing.
I’m gettin’ my glasses on today, Abby, and going to that Heavenly Physician to have mine adjusted.
Glory glasses .. I like that, Betsy! You know, I sometimes don’t realize how badly I need my reading glasses until I put them on and realize that I can see the words so much better. I think glory glasses are like that, too. I don’t realize how badly out of focus I am until I put them on! I’m trying to figure out some purpose things right now, and I appreciate this reminder that my primary consideration should be what will bring God the most glory, not necessarily what will satisfy my immediate needs and wants. 🙂
Oh, this is a good one. I do need that new prescription, and especially need to be reminded to look for the glory of God in the mundane details of every day. Thanks, Betsy!
Oh yes, Michele, all of those mundane details can cloud our vision for sure. Blessings on your day, friend!
The points about faithfulness in the little things and about contentment are the ones that spoke to me most deeply, I think because they are so connected. All those mundane little things can add up and make us (me!) feel so discontented — “Shouldn’t I have a better life? No one sees all I do” etc. Focusing on God’s glory really changes that perspective.
Jeannie, I need a perspective changer myself these days, a reminder that my life is not just about me. I’ve been thinking about this for the past month, but just now got around to writing it.
What a beautiful reminder Betsy! I so needed this reminder in my busy life! Excellent writing my friend – spoke straight to my heart!
Thanks so much Mel. I appreciate your encouragement.
My vision gets cloudy all too often ;). Keeping a gratitude journal has helped. My vision is usually clouded with the ‘I do all the work around here’ glasses, though ;).
I’m hanging onto gratitude myself these days, Anita! So important.
Wonderful post, Betsy! Love your encouraging words, sweet friend and I am touching and agreeing with you in prayer right now.
“We need a new prescription on our glory glasses” <— Yes, yes, yes! Love this!
What a blessing to visit with you today! Peace and many blessings to you, Love! 🙂
Amen! Adjust our prescription, Lord!
I love that we were made for something beyond ourselves, beyond our own glory. Living for God’s glory is what brings joy- yet sometimes I do forget. Thank you for these encouraging words, Betsy.
Oh I forget all the time, Dawn. That’s why I wrote this. Let’s live for His glory today.
Love this! Yes, I continually need to at least clean off my glasses and refocus. It’s so easy to lose focus and get distracted from our purpose. Great reminders! And I love the sunset photos – beautiful!
The sunset photo was from Ray Hubbard lake here in Dallas! Let’s keep those glory glass on today. What do you say? 🙂
Hi Betsy, I just read something similar over at Abby’s blog! Looks Like God is giving a constant reminder today, He has a glorious purpose for me. Those new Glory Prescription glasses are for me certainly.
Thank you for these words of refreshment today.
Blessings to you Betsy
God must be speaking collectively. Have a great day, Ifeoma. Blessings on you and your family.
Betsy, as always thank you for encouraging me in my faith! Thank you for all your hard work! I am coming off a particularly hard two weeks filled with some sadness and despair. God has used you to refresh my perspective and put me back on the path of enjoying and glorifying God!
So sorry, Janelle. I pray God will touch you with his joy and peace. I know those hard times too. I’m praying Romans 15:13 for you right now.
Betsy,
I am always lifted up when I stop by your corner of the world!! Yes, my “glory glasses” often need a good cleaning to see clearly. Thanks for the upbeat encouragement!
Blessings,
Bev
Thank you Bev. Let’s get those glasses cleaned up and adjusted and put them on! (I like what Ruthie said, “Let’s get those suckers on!” 🙂 )
Amen! I love the ‘new prescription on our glory glasses’ and that we give him glory when we cultivate contentment. I needed those reminders today. 🙂
Let’s get our prescription renewed and get those glasses on! Contentment. Today. 🙂
This is one I really need to work on: “We Magnify God When We Make Him Known.” Being a fairly new Christian, I get nervous when talking to people about Him. Writing comes so much easier for me :). I love the thought of “glory glasses.” What a perfect visual! Thanks for the important reminders and inspiration here, Betsy.
Thanks for stopping by, Candace. Just today I was reminding myself to put m y glory glasses on (after posting this two days ago.) I get a nervous talking to people about my faith too, but the more I do it, the more comfortable I get. Just little mentions here and there. Sometimes we have to share THE WHOLE GOSPEL EVERY TIME, and maybe all that person is ready for is just a casual sentence or two. 🙂
I was excited to find another link from you this week Betsy. I knew I would find encouragement. This post was that and so “enlightening ” too. I need to remind myself to glorify him in everything i do. How I speak to people I come in contact with each day , my thought and actions no matter how small. No matter the circumstance I want to be a reflection of His glory shining through. Thank you for reminding me to make sure my prescription is up to date! Have a wonderful weekend!
Amen, Horace! Somehow I missed your wonderful comment! Yes! Let’s keep our prescriptions up to date!
We glorify God when we cultivate contentment.
Yes! I love this!
Awesome, Loved this!! Thanks so much for writing it and sharing, and bless your little one for living through something with her eyes that we might all get a Glimpse of Him in!
Love from Holland,
Jasmine (stopping by fro Holley’s Coffee for the Heart, nr. 126)
ps, I wrote a post “Cinderella-a note on Humility, Entitlement and Kindness” on my site that might speak to/affirm you in this.
Hi Jasmine, thanks so much for stopping by. May God bless you this week and show you a bigger picture of himself!