To glorify God is to make much of Him—to live in such a way that our lives point others to His greatness, His goodness, and His love. It’s more than just words of praise or outward displays of devotion; it is a posture of the heart that shapes everything we do. But how do we do that? How do we glorify God in our everyday lives? And how do we navigate the tension between letting our light shine and practicing righteousness in secret?
Jesus tells us plainly,
“In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16 ESV).
But He also gives this warning,
“Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:1 ESV).
At first glance, these statements seem contradictory. Are we to let others see our good works, or should we keep them hidden? The answer is found in the motive behind what we do.
Glorifying God is not about drawing attention to ourselves; it’s about magnifying Him. It is possible to do the right thing for the wrong reasons, and Jesus consistently warned against that. The Pharisees were experts in religious performance. They gave, prayed, and fasted in ways that made sure others noticed, but their hearts were far from God. Jesus called them out, saying,
“This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.” (Matthew 15:8 ESV).
Glorifying God begins in the heart, not in external actions. It is possible to pray loudly in public yet be distant from God in private. It is possible to give generously yet crave recognition for it. But it is also possible to live in a way that draws others to God simply by being faithful.
When we forgive those who wrong us, we glorify God by mirroring His forgiveness. When we endure trials with unwavering trust, we highlight His faithfulness. When we serve with humility, expecting nothing in return, we reflect His generosity. Glorifying God is not just about what we do—it is about why and how we do it.
There are moments when letting others see our good works is the very thing that points them to God. A life lived in faith and obedience becomes a testimony to His power and grace. Imagine a coworker noticing your patience in a difficult situation and being drawn to ask, “How can you remain so calm?” That moment becomes an opportunity to point them to the peace of Christ. Or consider someone in need witnessing your generosity and experiencing God’s love through your actions.
Jesus wasn’t saying that our good works must always remain hidden—He was warning us against doing them for the wrong reasons. At the same time, He gave practical wisdom: practicing righteousness in secret guards our hearts against pride. Giving anonymously or serving without expecting thanks allows us to glorify God without the distraction of self-promotion.
The key is continually examining our motives. Are we acting for God’s glory or our own?
Glorifying God isn’t confined to spiritual activities or moments of worship. It is a way of life that encompasses every action, every word, and every thought. Paul reminds us,
“So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” (1 Corinthians 10:31 ESV).
This verse is both profound and freeing. It means that glorifying God isn’t reserved for preaching, mission work, or ministry. It happens in the ordinary moments of life.
When you work with integrity, refusing to cut corners, you glorify God. When you speak kindly to your spouse or children instead of reacting in frustration, you glorify God. When you take care of your body as a temple of the Holy Spirit, you glorify God. When you offer hospitality to a friend, share an encouraging word, or extend grace to someone who doesn’t deserve it, you glorify God.
Even our rest can glorify Him when we acknowledge that we are not self-sufficient but rely on Him. The simple act of trusting Him instead of worrying honors Him as the sovereign King who holds all things in His hands.
But it’s not just what we do; it’s also what we don’t do. If our hearts are not aligned with God, even our seemingly good works can fall short. Jesus warns against performative righteousness, saying,
“They do all their deeds to be seen by others.” (Matthew 23:5 ESV).
It’s easy to slip into that trap. Maybe we post about our Bible reading to ensure others see how faithful we are. Maybe we serve in church so that people will admire our devotion. Maybe we give with strings attached, hoping for recognition in return.
Jesus makes it clear—those who do righteous acts for the approval of others have already received their reward. But those who seek God’s glory above all else will find a greater reward than human praise could ever offer.
At the end of the day, glorifying God is about making much of Him, not ourselves. It means reflecting His character through acts of kindness, speaking of His greatness through words of praise, and trusting Him even in trials. It means living in such a way that others are drawn to see Him, not us.
“For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.” (Romans 11:36 ESV).
So let’s ask ourselves today: Are we letting our light shine to glorify God, or are we tempted to seek the glory for ourselves? Whether our good works are seen or unseen, may our hearts always be focused on pointing others to the One who is worthy of all praise.
In every act, big or small, public or private, let us glorify Him with humble, obedient hearts. And as we do, we’ll find that our lives become a living testimony of His greatness and love—a light that cannot help but shine.
I’m currently in the book of 1 Samuel in my daily Bible reading, and something struck me. How often do we presume to know the will of God, only to find we’re entirely mistaken?
Consider these moments from the life of David and Saul.
When David fled to the city of Keilah, Saul thought he had finally cornered him.
“Now it was told Saul that David had come to Keilah. And Saul said, ‘God has given him into my hand, for he has shut himself in by entering a town that has gates and bars.’” (1 Samuel 23:7 ESV).
Saul was so confident he knew God’s will. But as the story unfolds, we see the opposite. God wasn’t delivering David into Saul’s hand—He was delivering David from Saul’s hand. Saul’s presumption came not from seeking God, but from aligning God’s will with his own desires. How often do we, like Saul, confuse our plans with God’s purposes?
Later, the roles reversed. Saul found himself vulnerable in a cave, and David had the perfect opportunity to kill him. David’s men even encouraged him to take advantage of the situation, claiming this was God’s will:
“And the men of David said to him, ‘Here is the day of which the LORD said to you, “Behold, I will give your enemy into your hand, and you shall do to him as it shall seem good to you.’ Then David arose and stealthily cut off a corner of Saul’s robe.” (1 Samuel 24:4 ESV).
David’s men were quick to invoke God’s name to justify their advice. From their perspective, the situation was clear—this was God’s provision, a perfect opportunity handed to David on a silver platter. But David, sensitive to God’s will, hesitated. Cutting the corner of Saul’s robe filled him with remorse:
“And afterward David’s heart struck him, because he had cut off a corner of Saul’s robe.
He said to his men, ‘The LORD forbid that I should do this thing to my lord, the LORD’s anointed, to put out my hand against him, seeing he is the LORD’s anointed.’” (1 Samuel 24:5-6 ESV).
What made the difference? How did David act with such wisdom and restraint when others around him were so quick to presume on God’s intentions? Isn’t that what we all want to know? How can we avoid falsely attributing something to God and instead walk in His will with confidence?
I believe the answer lies in David’s character and his approach to discerning God’s will.
First, David was humble. He respected God’s authority and refused to act against God’s anointed, even when it would have been easy to justify. How often do we convince ourselves to act impulsively, especially when we think the person we’re dealing with is “unworthy”? David teaches us that humility means deferring to God’s authority, even when it’s inconvenient or hard. Saul, on the other hand, acted out of arrogance, assuming God’s will aligned with his personal desires. This contrast reminds us to carefully examine our motives and ensure we’re submitting to God rather than bending Him to fit our plans.
Second, David was a man of prayer. Time and again, we see him turning to God before making decisions. He didn’t rely on his own wisdom or the urging of others. Instead, he sought the counsel of the King of kings. How different would our choices look if we, too, paused to pray before acting? And consider this—prayer often reveals the cost of obedience. For David, sparing Saul came at great personal risk. By leaving Saul alive, David left himself exposed to future attacks. Yet he chose to honor God above his own security. How often do we pray for wisdom, only to shrink back when obedience requires sacrifice?
Finally, David waited on the Lord. He didn’t rush ahead or try to force God’s hand. Even when the path seemed clear, David exercised patience. This doesn’t mean David was passive—he was a man of action—but his actions followed God’s timing, not his own. Patience doesn’t come naturally to us, especially when others are urging us forward. But David’s restraint reminds us that God’s timing is perfect, even when waiting feels impossible.
And this leads us to a crucial point: discernment. David’s story warns us how easily others—even well-meaning people—can misinterpret circumstances and attribute things to God that aren’t from Him. Saul’s confidence was misplaced. David’s men spoke presumptuously. Only David paused to weigh his actions against God’s character and will. Discernment requires humility, prayer, and patience working together. Without these, we risk confusing human reasoning with divine guidance.
As we navigate our own circumstances, we can learn so much from David’s example. Let’s strive to be humble, acknowledging God’s authority over our lives and resisting the urge to justify sinful actions. Let’s be people of prayer, seeking God’s wisdom before we act. And let’s practice patience, trusting that God’s timing is perfect, even when waiting feels hard. Above all, let’s ask for discernment, carefully testing whether the advice we receive aligns with God’s Word and character.
When we live with humility, kneel in prayer before King Jesus, and wait on the Lord, we reflect the heart of David—the man whom God Himself called “a man after His own heart.”
May we walk in those same footprints, seeking to honor God in every decision we make.
I’m currently reading through the book of Daniel, and today, I was struck by one of the most remarkable displays of faith in Scripture. Do you want to see what real faith looks like? Let’s take a closer look at Daniel 2.
In this chapter, King Nebuchadnezzar demanded that his magicians, enchanters, and sorcerers not only interpret his troubling dream but also tell him what the dream was. When they couldn’t do the impossible, the king grew furious and ordered all the wise men of Babylon to be put to death. That included Daniel and his friends.
Imagine the fear and chaos in that moment. Arioch, the captain of the king’s guard, went out to carry out the order. When he came for Daniel and his friends, something extraordinary happened.
“Then Daniel replied with prudence and discretion to Arioch, the captain of the king’s guard, who had gone out to kill the wise men of Babylon.
He declared to Arioch, the king’s captain, ‘Why is the decree of the king so urgent?’ Then Arioch made the matter known to Daniel.
And Daniel went in and requested the king to appoint him a time, that he might show the interpretation to the king.” (Daniel 2:14-16 ESV).
Take that in for a moment. Daniel didn’t yet have the interpretation. He didn’t know the dream. And yet, he stepped forward in faith, requesting a meeting with the king, trusting that God would provide what was needed.
That’s faith. Faith that moves before the answer is visible. Faith that steps into the unknown, trusting that God will make a way.
But Daniel’s faith didn’t stop there. After requesting the meeting, he turned to prayer.
“Then Daniel went to his house and made the matter known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions,
and told them to seek mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that Daniel and his companions might not be destroyed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.” (Daniel 2:17-18 ESV).
Daniel didn’t rely on his own wisdom or ability to solve the problem. He invited his friends to join him in seeking God’s mercy. Together, they brought their need before the Lord, trusting Him to reveal the mystery and to deliver them.
This story reminds us that faith isn’t about having all the answers—it’s about trusting the One who does. Sometimes, like Daniel, we’re called to take a step into the unseen, to move forward before we know how things will work out. And in those moments, we’re reminded that our confidence isn’t in ourselves but in the God who holds all things in His hands.
So, what step of faith is God calling us to take today? Where do we need to trust Him before we have His answer?
Daniel’s story shows us that when we walk in faith, God meets us where we are. He provides what we need at just the right time. Let’s be people who live by faith, taking bold steps forward and trusting God to steady our feet.
I am in the book of 2 Chronicles in my daily Bible reading. Toward the end, we read about one of the greatest kings of Judah—Josiah, a good and zealous king who sought the Lord with all his heart.
He became king at just eight years old, and for the rest of his life, he restored the house of the Lord, reinstated the Passover, and led the people back to true worship. His devotion was unwavering. But even the most faithful among us can misstep.
At the end of his life, Josiah made a decision that would cost him everything. When Neco, the king of Egypt, marched to war—not against Judah, but against another enemy—Josiah took it upon himself to intervene. Neco tried to warn him:
“But he sent envoys to him, saying, “What have we to do with each other, king of Judah? I am not coming against you this day, but against the house with which I am at war. And God has commanded me to hurry. Cease opposing God, who is with me, lest he destroy you.” (2 Chronicles 35:21 ESV).
But Josiah wouldn’t listen. He disguised himself and went into battle anyway:
“Nevertheless, Josiah did not turn away from him, but disguised himself in order to fight with him. He did not listen to the words of Neco from the mouth of God, but came to fight in the plain of Megiddo.” (2 Chronicles 35:22 ESV).
And then came the fatal moment:
“And the archers shot King Josiah. And the king said to his servants, “Take me away, for I am badly wounded.” (2 Chronicles 35:23 ESV).
Josiah—a faithful, righteous king—died because he ignored God’s warning.
What a sobering lesson for us today. Even when we are zealous for God, we must be careful not to act in presumption. Josiah was a godly man, but even good people can suffer painful consequences when they charge ahead without seeking God’s wisdom.
Sometimes, God shields us from the consequences of our choices. Other times, He allows them to play out. Either way, He is sovereign. It is not our place to demand explanations from Him, nor to curse Him when things don’t go as we expected.
Josiah was a hero of faith, a king worth emulating. But in the end, he was caught up in the weight of an unwise decision.
When hardships come, let’s resist the urge to demand that God give an account of His actions. Instead, let’s humble ourselves before Him, trusting that He alone is the Potter and we are the clay.
I am in 1 Kings in my daily Bible reading. The book opens with the decline and death of King David and the rise of Solomon to the throne.
But it doesn’t begin with a smooth transition. It begins with royal intrigue.
Adonijah, David’s oldest living son, takes it upon himself to become king. He is handsome, persuasive, and well-connected. He gathers the support of the right people—the army, key kingdom officials, even members of the royal family.
Everyone except God.
God had already chosen Solomon to sit on David’s throne. But Adonijah never sought his father’s blessing. He never sought the prophet’s anointing. He made his own plans without considering God’s.
Nathan, the prophet, warned Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother, of what was happening:
“Then Nathan said to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon, ‘Have you not heard that Adonijah the son of Haggith has become king and David our lord does not know it?” (1 Kings 1:11 ESV).
David, unaware of Adonijah’s plot, acted swiftly once he learned the truth. He publicly declared Solomon as king, and the prophet anointed him in the presence of the people.
The kingdom belonged to the one God had chosen—not the one who exalted himself.
Jesus put it this way:
“For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” (Luke 14:11 ESV).
Adonijah’s story is a warning to us. When we push our own agenda, chase our own recognition, or try to force our own way apart from God, we will eventually find ourselves, like Adonijah, running to the altar, clinging to the horns, and begging for mercy.
But here’s the good news: when we seek God’s will instead of our own, He leads us to what is rightfully ours—not through our striving, but through His hand.
Let’s be people who wait on God, trust His plan, and never try to crown ourselves. Because in the end, it’s His throne, not ours.
When you believe God is sovereign,
When you believe Jesus is Lord of lords, King of kings, President of presidents,
When you believe the Ancient of Days placed all authority under His Son’s feet,
Then you can watch the shenanigans of world leaders while maintaining calm and peace of mind.
The Creator of the universe is sovereign and nothing spirals beyond His control.
Peter gives us a glimpse into something that is pertinent to each of us today in his second epistle. It’s about the return of King Jesus.
“This is now the second letter that I am writing to you, beloved. In both of them I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder,
that you should remember the predictions of the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles,
knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires.
They will say, “Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.” (2 Peter 3:1-4 ESV).
His message:
Jesus, the apostles, and the prophets all told us that Jesus would return in judgement. But the day will come when people say, “Christians have been saying this for 2000 years and Jesus still hasn’t returned.”
They imply that we shouldn’t pay attention to the promise of Jesus’s return. It’s been so long since the promise was made, we have pretty much proven it’s just a myth.
“But you,” Peter writes, “should remember the predictions…”
The Lord doesn’t count time the way we count time. A thousand years is as nothing to Him.
Because of this, we can know the promise is sure.
Jesus will return.
Most young earth scholars say that in the next few years, we will be entering into the 7,000th year since creation. Yet, whether He returns in our lifetime or a hundred thousand years from now, the promise is sure, because a God who cannot lie made it.
Jesus will return.
Are your lamps trimmed and ready for the Bridegroom’s return should it be tonight? Don’t be lulled by the voice of scoffers. They are loud and all around us today.
I am in the book of 1 Kings in my daily Bible reading. When Solomon’s son, Rehoboam, inherits the throne, God fulfills his promise to Solomon by tearing the kingdom away from the lineage of David and giving part of it to someone else.
Rehoboam musters his army, ready to bring the rebellious tribe back under his rule. But God sends a prophet to warn him and the people not to intervene, because the rebellion was from the Lord.
“Thus says the LORD, You shall not go up or fight against your relatives the people of Israel. Every man return to his home, for this thing is from me.” So they listened to the word of the LORD and went home again, according to the word of the LORD.” (1 Kings 12:24 ESV).
We often excoriate Rehoboam for following the advice of the young men and spurning the wise advice of his father’s counselors. But one thing we have to give to this young king is his reverence for God’s will.
When he was told that this was from the Lord, Rehoboam laid down his arms and listened to the Word of the Lord. What about us? Are we willing to accept things in our lives we don’t want, or are we quick to rebel when things don’t go our way?
It’s easy to serve God when He is blessing us the way we want to be blessed, but what do we do when He tears away something from us we desperately want to hold on to?
Are we willing to lay down our arms and accept God’s will in our lives, or will we walk in our own willful way and resent God for not giving what we want from Him?
I worry Covid has made it easier for us to believe that gathering with the saints isn’t all that important—that we can soothe our conscience by replacing real, in-person relationships with a screen.
But God’s people were always meant to be together. I don’t see how an honest reading of Scripture could lead to any other conclusion.
On this one, I fear the enemy has won a round.
What are you doing right now?
What are you watching on TV?
What is on your calendar?
What plans for the Kingdom is in your heart this moment?
“But if that servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed in coming,’ and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and get drunk,
the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know, and will cut him in pieces and put him with the unfaithful.” (Luke 12:45-46 ESV).
He is returning.
Will you be watching?
When we have friendship with the world, we ask, “How close to the line of sin can I get and still be pleasing to God?”
The heart that walks with God asks, “How close can I draw to God and be removed from all that is unrighteous?”
“He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love ”kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” (Micah 6:8 ESV).
I am in the book of 1 Kings in my daily Bible reading. In one of the cruelest acts in Scripture, wicked Jezebel, King Ahab’s wife, murders Naboth and gives his vineyard to her husband.
Ahab gleefully takes possession of the vineyard as Naboth’s body lay slain in his innocence. This provoked God’s anger, and he sent Elijah to pronounce judgement upon the King and Queen.
“And when Ahab heard those words, he tore his clothes and put sackcloth on his flesh and fasted and lay in sackcloth and went about dejectedly.” (1 Kings 21:27 ESV).
God took notice of this evil man’s humility the king demonstrated before God.
“And the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying,
“Have you seen how Ahab has humbled himself before me? Because he has humbled himself before me, I will not bring the disaster in his days; but in his son’s days I will bring the disaster upon his house.” (1 Kings 21:28-29 ESV).
If God could show grace to an evil man who did not seek His way, think how vast His grace is to those of us who stumble, yet seek Him with our heart and determine to walk with Him even in our imperfection.