I told my coworker that my purpose in life is to glorify God. He said, “So does that mean just singing in church?” How do I answer him? 

There are so many choices you can make to glorify God in your life.

Worship using God’s Word

You glorify God by growing in his Word and worshiping him.

Imagine that a world-class chef is preparing your favorite meal. All day long he is making everything from scratch, and you are salivating. Finally, the chef gives you a single bite—it is the best thing you’ve ever eaten! Would you stop eating? No! Once you’ve tasted how good it is, you will, of course, want more!

The same is true once you have tasted how good God’s love and forgiveness are in the Bible. Peter tells you to keep growing in your faith “now that you have tasted that the Lord is good” (1 Peter 2:3). This leads to glorifying God in worship! “Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts” (Colossians 3:16).

Worship offering your whole body

When you are constantly reminded of God’s grace to you, it will lead you to glorify him with your whole life in other ways. Romans 12:1 says, “Therefore, I urge you,  brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.” In other words, every moment of every day is an opportunity to serve and therefore is another way to glorify God and worship him.

And God uses your life of service. Jesus says, “In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16). The loudest sermon you may ever preach to those around you is the way you live. You glorify God when you live differently and show “love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” (Galatians 5:22,23). Others will notice. This often will give you a chance to explain that you live your life out of thanks for all that Jesus has done for you.

The best way to glorify God

With all the choices you can make to glorify God in your life, how do you know which is the right one?

One Christian teacher explained it this way. He said, “Every day is Christmas for God.” Here is what he meant. What if your child wants to get you a Christmas present, and he goes to the store to pick one out. When he gets there, he sees two presents he thinks you will like. After weighing the options, he picks one, wraps it up, and gives it to you for Christmas. When you open it, what are you going to say? “It’s perfect! I love it!” But what if he had picked the other gift? You would say the same thing: “It’s perfect! I love it!” Either option is good because your child was doing something out of love for you.

The same is true with God. Every day is Christmas for God. He cannot wait to see which option you will pick. And the one you pick will be the one he blesses . . . either way. “Whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31).

Have a question, ask it here!

Author: David Scharf
Volume 109, Number 12
Issue: December 2022