My Glory...or His?

"Whatever you eat or drink or whatever you do, you must do all for the glory of God."
1 Corinthians 10:31

I've been thinking a lot lately about the way I pray. You know...how I talk to God. That's what praying is to me. Talking to God. I really just talk to Him the way I would talk to anyone. What I've been considering, though, is my motivation for the things I pray for.

I always pray for my family...my daughter, my wife. I pray that He keep them in His care and under his loving, watchful eye. I pray for my friends...for their health and happiness. I pray for my church...that it truly looks to seek His will and do His work.

And I pray for myself.

I pray for things like...the strength to do my day job, the guidance to work with the high school youth at church, the wisdom to handle the situation with our interim pastor. I pray for Him to make me want to forgive people I can't seem to forgive, for Him to help me turn from my sins...to be a better person.

Wait a minute...did you catch that? To be a better person? What's that about?

IT'S ALL ABOUT ME!! I've been praying for Him to help me to help me! It's all about my sin, my guilt, my discomfort, my darkness. I've been praying for strength and guidance and wisdom and FREEDOM because of what those things will do for ME.

I should be looking to Jesus and His glory, His purpose for my life and His grace. I should be striving for the strength and guidance and wisdom and freedom so that I may glorify Him in all that I am, all that I say and all that I do.

"Not to us, O LORD, but to you goes all the glory for your unfailing love and faithfulness."
Psalm 115:1

Even more than praying for Him to use me for His glory, I should really be focusing on others. My family, my friends, believers, non-believers...basically everyone other than me. I need to turn my focus from inward towards myself and direct it outward towards others.

"When Job prayed for his friends, the LORD restored his fortunes. In fact, the LORD gave him twice as much as before!"
Job 42:10

So, what are you praying for? Is your motivation to glorify yourself, so that you FEEL better about yourself. To boast in yourself and say "Look what I've done!" Or are you striving to be set FREE to honor Him and work for His glory.

Ask yourself when you pray: "My glory...or His?"

Peace