Let Your Life Be a Glimpse of God's Glory

Do your friends get a glimpse of God’s glory when they look at you—or are they turned off to God altogether?

First of all, what does it mean to glorify God? Do you know what it looks like to let your life be a glimpse of God’s glory?

And isn’t it kind of selfish of God, to have created us for the sole purpose of glorifying him?

If that’s how you feel about glorifying God, then you have the wrong definition of the word glorify.

Hi, I’m Lauren Thell, author of Christian YA fiction and blogger for teens who are ready to exceed the world’s expectations.

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Exactly What Does it Mean to Glorify God?

God cannot be made any more beautiful or spectacular than he is. So to glorify him does not mean we make him appear bigger the way an organism placed under a microscope might look. Video games “glorify” violence and pop culture “glorifies” sin in this matter, but that is not what it means to glorify God.

God cannot be made any more beautiful or spectacular than he is.

Also incorrect is the idea that the only way to glorify God is to raise your hands in the air and sing along with the praise band at church. In fact, the act of glorifying should be a part of every aspect of your life. How you act, what you think, what you say, the plans you make…

Glorifying God is like looking at him through a telescope, where something that is unimaginably great begins to look more like it truly is.

A Lesson From the Astronomers

I love astronomy. Nowhere else can you find starker contrasts between what you see and what’s really there.

Take the Andromeda Galaxy, for example. When you stand in your backyard, gazing up at the night sky with naked eyes, Andromeda appears as little more than a fuzzy blur—and that’s if you know where to look.

A powerful telescope, however, reveals something entirely different. Something astounding, as captured in this photograph.

An even more startling contrast is found in the constellation Orion.

When viewed by the naked eye on a dark night (read: no city lights), its most striking feature is its distinct shape. Note the three bright stars of the hunter’s belt and the three descending “stars” of his sword. One of them is a little fuzzier than the others, but otherwise, there appears to be nothing noteworthy.

Sort of pretty, but not particularly impressive, right?

Until you view this through a much larger telescope. Suddenly, that fuzzy “star” comes to astonishing life— beautiful colors, a distinct horsehead shape. And you see it’s not a start at all but a cloud of gas surrounded by millions of stars, all within one small field of view. (See the heading image in this post).

All of this hangs above our heads every night when we go to bed. That boggles my mind!

This is what it means to let your life be a glimpse of God’s glory:

Glorifying God is like looking at him through a telescope, where something that is unimaginably great begins to look more like it truly is.

Zoom In On God’s Glory

Glorifying God is like zooming in on him with a larger aperture telescope. He’s already there and already great and beautiful and majestic. But without the telescope, he appears as little more than a hazy blur to an unbeliever.

Your life should be the telescope that lets others see God for how great he is.

Strengthen Your Magnification

let your life be a glimpse of God's glory

Your life should be the telescope that lets others see God for how great he is.

What kind of image of God do you portray to those around you? Does God seem fuzzy and unappealing, even cold and irrelevant? Are his magnificent features—namely his love and power—visible but still unclear? Or do you offer others a glimpse of his beauty with so many vivid colors, stark contrasts, and captivating details they just can’t look away?

How you live your life really does make a difference in drawing others to God. For some, what they see in you will be their first glimpse of God’s glory and the saving power of Jesus. Let every part of your life give a magnified image of who God is.

You don’t have to have all the answers.

But, hey, why not?

Bring me your questions about faith, life, God, the Bible… and I’ll help you find the answers.

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How to Glorify God in All You Do: 9 Ways

Glorify him in your speech: Control Your Speech With These 5 Important Rules
Live honorably in public and private: Not Just on Sunday: How to Be a Christian Every Day
Embrace purity and holiness: Happiness & Holiness: Aim High And Go For Both
Praise him with your hands, your lips, your heart—every part of you: How to Have a Heart of Praise
Pray—a lot: How to Have a Richer Prayer Life
Live the fruits of the Spirit: 7 Ways to Let Your Light Shine In a Dark World
Love others, even when they’re unlovable: Happy Valentine’s Day to My Enemy, With Love
Be faithful to him, even when it hurts: Facing Persecution: Are You Ready to Pay The Highest Price?
Face death with faith: Look Forward to Eternity: The Best is Yet to Come

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