One of the definitions of glory, as defined by Merriam Webster, is "great beauty and splendor." As I read through Scripture, I love to read accounts of how people responded to God's glory and presence when they experienced it. The majority of the time, the response to being in God's presence was to fall face down in surrender and awe. The worshipper felt so unworthy and overwhelmed that they lay prostrate on the ground.
There are times in my life that I need to be reminded of God's overwhelming glory. It's easy for me to be so focused on the circumstances that surround me, that I lose sight of Who has control of it all. A lot of my friends that I am close with are experiencing the same thing I am right now. We all feel bombarded with one challenge after another that causes us to become distracted with putting out fire after fire. It reminds me of Genesis 3:1, when the serpent (the Enemy) was described as crafty. It also reminded me of Ephesians 6:11, when we are told to put on the full armor of God to stand against the wiles of the devil. When you look up the Greek word for "wiles" it gives a picture of someone lying in wait, like a lion on the hunt for it's prey. In other words, our Enemy doesn't fight fairly. He is waiting to pounce at our most inopportune time. He attacks our family, our weaknesses, our emotions, our health, or anything else that would cause us to lose sight of where our focus should be...just read what he did to Job.
Today, as I sat at breakfast with my accountability partner, God gave me an illustration of how I'm living my life right now. He said that it was like I was driving a car by looking at the windshield instead of through it. I had become so focused on what was right in front of me that I lost sight of the direction He was taking me. Just this past week I was reading though the book of Job, and the way Job responded to his circumstances defined who he was as a person. At the core of his belief was the fact that God is good regardless of the circumstances He may have allowed Job to experience. Job suffered well. If I become so focused on the circumstance that is directly in front of me that I forget that God is still good and reigns over all of His creation, then I have lost sight of where my eyes should be. Did Job know that God would restore him, his health, his family and his possessions...No! Did that deter Job from remaining focused on the unchanging character of who God is...No! So, here I sit with this feeling of being overwhelmed, but my feelings shouldn't determine my idea of who God is. His character remains unchanged, His control of His creation is still consummate, and His belief in me is unwavering. The problem lies in how I define whose I am. I am not defined by my shortcomings, by my failures, by my circumstances, or by my successes. I am defined by my relationship to Him...I am His son. Therefore, it is my duty to look past my circumstances and stand in the presence of my Father and trust His guidance, His leadership, His direction, and His discipline. When all this struggle is said and done, I want to have fought well.
In those moments of weakness, I appreciate that God continues to speak to me through different avenues. I was listening to Kim Walker-Smith of Jesus Culture the other day (who is one of my favorite worship leaders). She sings a song with Jesus Culture called "Show Me Your Glory." It's based off the account of Moses coming in to God's presence. This song reminded me that when I feel circumstances overwhelming me, I need to regain my focus by seeking the presence of my Father. In His presence, there is an endless supply of whatever attribute of God I need most to survive the battle that is before me...His love, His patience, His endurance, His faithfulness, His joy, His peace...it's an ever running stream. My idea of what I need might be different than what God knows I need. That is why spending time in His presence is important...I need perspective. This song came along just when I needed it. I don't think anyone would wish Job's circumstances on themselves, but if you find yourself with similar struggles, cling to the fact that God wants to show His glory. I know that is what keeps me fighting. I want God to be glorified in whatever I do and through whatever circumstance may come my way. I just have to remember to look through the windshield and not at it.
The lyrics for this amazing song follows:
"Show Me Your Glory" by Jesus Culture
Verse 1
I see the cloud, I step in
I want to see Your glory as Moses did
Flashes of light and rolls of thunder
Pre-Chorus
I'm not afraid, I'm not afraid
Chorus
Show me Your glory, show me Your glory, my God
Show me Your glory, show me Your glory
Verse 2
I'm awed by Your beauty, lost in Your eyes
I long to walk in Your presence like Jesus did
Your glory surround me and I'm overwhelmed
Bridge
I long to look on the face of the One that I love
Long to stay in Your presence, it's where I belong
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