Do it all to the Glory of God

Have you ever heard someone say that everything we do, we should do to the Glory of God? Or that all we do should bring God glory? This is something I’ve struggled with in the past. I’ve thought, HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE? I mean, I can’t stop everything and pray and read the Bible all day long! First of all, no it’s not realistic to stop everything and pray/read the Bible all day, BUT we could all probably make more time for that in our daily lives. That being said, that’s not really the point of this post. The point is, aside from the obvious ways of bringing God glory, how can we do it in our daily activities? How can we make EVERYTHING about God? By no means am I perfect at this. I take things for granted, I completely ignore God on many occasions, and I even sin outright (yes, can you believe it??). But I do have some thoughts on the matter of giving God glory. Here is how I think of bringing glory to God, outside of the obvious forms of worship (prayer, study, fellowship, giving, etc…).

I’m thankful for my blessings. This one is an obvious one, but it’s not an easy one. The easy thing is to take blessings for granted. Many times we go beyond that and even feel entitled to them. But I try to be thankful for everything, and sometimes I’ll just stop and thank God for all the blessings that immediately come to mind. These things range from food, shelter, my bed, sheets, clothes, friends, family, furniture, cars, my job, protection, salvation, beautiful scenery, clean water to drink and fresh air to breathe…the list is literally endless if you stop and think about it. And just opening our eyes and realizing these blessings, and taking a moment to say a quick “thank you” to our Creator, is a great way to bring God glory, even in the middle of a routine day.

I take care of my blessings. God gave me this body. When I exercise, I’m taking care of his creation. I’m cherishing what He gave me and protecting it. God provided this house for us. When I clean the house, I’m taking care of his gift. God brought Scott into my life. When I serve and love my husband in any way, I’m honoring the gift. When we wash our cars or change the oil, we’re preserving the blessing of transportation that God gave us. When I take my job seriously and complete my tasks to the best of my ability, I am diligently using the gift He gave me. And when I write, sing, or counsel others, I’m practicing the talents and skills He’s given to me. He gives us these blessings and gifts for us to use and enjoy. By taking care of these gifts, we are bringing Him glory. And I believe it brings Him even more glory when we acknowledge this fact. Sometimes when I’m cleaning my house or having a rough day at work, I get the urge to complain. But when I think about it as preserving gifts from God, my whole attitude can change.

I talk to God. This is something I can always do more. Yes, it’s praying. But no, it doesn’t always have to be done on my knees, in the privacy of my bedroom, at church, or before a meal. I pray while I’m driving. Just talking out loud to God about what’s going on my life, my struggles, and my general thoughts. And throughout the day, I may say quick little silent prayers. Anything from “God give me strength,” to “thank you,” to “please bless so-and-so.” I believe in fervently praying, but sometimes a quick little blessing can do a wonder on your heart and can bring God glory in the middle of whatever else you have going on.

I love with purpose. It’s easy to love only the loveable people. It’s easy to only talk to and spend time with people you know and like. It’s more difficult to talk to a stranger or someone who you find annoying or rude. But purposefully asking God to replace those feelings with love, and making a genuine effort goes a long way. You don’t have to be best friends with someone to love them. But by trying not to think mean thoughts, and by being considerate, you are bringing glory to God. It’s more than just being polite. It’s responding when you see a need, caring when they need someone to care, and just showing them that you know they exist and you think they are important. You are showing them God’s love. This brings Him glory, and they will see that love in you. This is another thing I can always improve on, but I try to be aware of my actions and thoughts towards others, and seek God when I struggle to love.

There are more ways to bring glory to God, but these are just some ways that I try to bring Him glory throughout each and every day.  It seems to all stem from an awareness of God’s grace and love, and having a thankful heart.

So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all to the glory of God.  1 Corinthians 10:31.