The thoughts that led to writing this devotional were inspired by a sermon by Lon Solomon.
The more we transition from living for self-glory—to living for God’s glory—the greater our life becomes a gift far greater than we could ever imagine!
Before we are born again, we necessarily live with ourselves at the center of the universe. We are limited to living for self-glory. But when we repent, we turn from living in self-glory to living in God‘s glory. Although this initial transition happens at salvation; it does not mean it is a one-off. Far from it!
As born-again believers, we must change our thinking. We must stop thinking about OUR power, OUR glory, OUR prestige, OUR reputation and think in terms of GOD’s power, GOD’s glory, GOD’s prestige and GOD’s reputation. This wrong thinking must die. We must train our brain to think: “As long as God gets the glory, it doesn’t matter who gets the credit.”
How do we know if we have a problem with self-glory?
This spiritual disease has three primary symptoms:
1. A Christian living for self-glory always wants the credit. They want everyone to know what part they played in every successful venture. No matter where the spotlight is, they want to be in it.
2. A person who lives for self-glory is highly concerned with rank. Pecking orders are important. They are hypersensitive to position, titles, credentials, etc. But the Bible says we are to be slaves to Christ (as opposed to being slaves to our flesh or slaves to any kind of sin.) What difference does it make if you are a “typist slave” or an “editor slave?” Or if you are a “paralegal slave” or an “attorney slave?” You’re either a slave for Christ or you’re a slave for something less than Him.
3. A person living for self-glory resents anyone whose success surpasses their own. They are plagued with jealousy for anyone who gets glory. They always have a bad word to say about that person. They even resent fellow Christians who are bringing people to Christ or discipling because their highest concern is not God’s work. It’s their own glory.
Ah, my friend, after analyzing my own life, I KNOW this is a real struggle for me. How about you? But praise God…
There are cures for rooting out this disease of self-glory:
1. Honestly admit you have the problem. Ask for forgiveness. Ask the Lord to show you how deep the problem is. Root this prayer of the Psalmist deeply into your heart:
“Search me, O God, and know my heart: Try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”
Psalm 139:23-24
2. Trust God to work supernatural change. A born-again person has been changed from the inside. The Holy Spirit who resides in us must work the change. We can’t work lasting change in the energy of the flesh. We must pray as King David did:
“Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.”
Psalm 51:10
3. Be willing to submit to the process God uses to root it out. Every great person God used was taken through the process of becoming humble by being brought low and through suffering. Moses spent 40 years on the backside of the desert after living his first 40 years as prince of Egypt. David spent seven years in caves running from Saul after his stunning victory over Goliath. Paul the Apostle spent three years in the Arabian desert after being the shining star of the Jewish religious world.
We rarely learn humility from success.
No one ever rooted out self-glory by having more success. Dwight L. Moody said “Moses spent 40 years in Pharoh’s court thinking he was a somebody; 40 years on the backside of the desert learning he was nobody, and 40 years with Israel learning what God can do with somebody who realizes he’s a nobody.”
The only way we learn to understand that before God we are nobody AND we are nobody without HIM is—to serve in the trenches where we become okay being a nobody and doing a job of a nobody in order for God to make us somebody He can use for His glory. Sometimes that means cleaning the bathroom every day at work even though you are the boss; sometimes that means spending years raising a special needs child; sometimes that means investing in people who show little to no gratefulness for your help; etc.
But, my friend, God does more for us in an hour than we do for anyone else in a lifetime.
God deserves the glory for our life. Every day of it—every minute of it. We give ourselves a remarkable GIFT if we consistently and passionately train our brain and heart to live for His glory. Jesus set the standard. His life was a gift. He came to earth and became a nobody so we could become somebody with His Father. It is our reasonable service to give our life back to Him.
“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.”
Romans 12:1
“Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.”
1 Corinthians 10:31
2 Responses
This one really struck a chord with me this morning. It was like I was reading about me. I have lots of prayer coming up on this. Thank you for these.
Amen Brother. People often ask if I’m looking in their window when I write these devotionals and I always tell them no God is looking in my window, but our windows are probably very much alike! Have a blessed day, my friend!