For Your Glory
“I was only pouring out my troubles to the LORD.”
In the first reading, Hannah’s husband finds her foolish before the Lord. She was so fervent in her prayers that he thought that she was drunk. But when he confronts her, she responds, “I was only pouring out my troubles to the LORD.” I found myself asking - How often do I pray like that? How often do I truly pour out my troubles to the Lord? How often do I allow myself to look foolish before Him? And when I pour out my troubles, do I truly pour out my heart? Do I truly open myself to Him all the way?
And when I ask the Lord for the things I want, do I follow Hannah’s lead? Do I pray the way she did? Do I promise to recommit everything I receive back to God’s authority? Do I promise to offer everything I’ve received from God back to Him? Is everything I receive given back to Him? Is everything I receive for my own sake - or for His?
What if each and every one of my petitions came with a promise to glorify God with that gift?
Sisters, today I’m turning a corner. Today, I promise to God that I will strive to use each and every gift that He’s given me for His glory. I promise to use my job to honor Him. I promise to use my friendships to honor Him. I promise to use my vacations to honor Him. I promise to use every gift I can perceive to give Him glory.
Will I fail? Most certainly. But that won’t stop me from striving. It won’t stop me from trying. It’s a new way of living - to turn every gift back to God. Perhaps more difficult at times, but certainly richer. It seems obvious to give God every gift He’s given, but I miss that point more often than not. For all the gifts and blessings and petitions to come,
I promise to consecrate every request to God’s glory.
God, I promise to consecrate every request to Your glory. From now on, every prayer will include a promise to You. If I pray to own a home, I promise to consecrate my home to You for Your glory. If I pray to get married, I promise to consecrate my marriage to You for Your glory. If I pray to have children, I promise to consecrate my children to You for Your glory. If I pray for impact, I promise to consecrate any impact or notoriety to You for Your glory. If I pray to become a creator, I promise consecrate all creative work to You for Your glory. May everything that I am, everything that I do, and anything I create be consecrated to You for Your glory. Because I want all that I do and all that I have to be in service to You, God. For truly - All is for Your glory.
Father,
Thank You for being so patient with us as we learn how to give everything back to You. Thank You for generously bestowing gifts and blessings and talents without demanding that we give them back to You. Thank You for showing us mercy as we discover how to offer Your gifts to You.
God, please help us to be generous with the gifts You’ve given us. Help us to attach ourselves more to You and to Your love than to the gifts and talents and blessings of our lives. Help us to surrender all that we have for You and for Your glory.
God, we love You. Please teach us and remind us to gratefully consecrate every moment of time that we have and every gift we receive back to You. Amen.