November 6, 2023

John 11: 4  Jesus said, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.” (NIV)

What is to His glory is always to our good.*

When my husband was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, it was already at Stage 4.  It was inoperable, and all of his doctors expected him to live less than one year. He surpassed their expectations by more than a year. I prayed that he would be healed, knowing that he probably wouldn’t. I also prayed that God would be glorified no matter what happened.

In Lazarus’ case, God had a greater purpose in mind than to heal him.* It was God’s plan to be glorified in Lazarus’ resurrection from the dead. I, however, was not only pretty sure that my husband was not going to recover from his cancer, I was certain that he wasn’t going to come back home after the funeral. But I have to ask myself: if I was given a choice between keeping my husband around for a few more years, or glorifying God, which would I choose?* Better yet, which would my husband have chosen?

Every day we make choices between glorifying God or not – they just aren’t life and death choices. And maybe that makes them harder. Sometimes we face choices that aren’t between right and wrong, or good and bad, but between: neither wrong nor bad, and, does it glorify God? John the Baptist, speaking of Jesus, said, “He must become greater; I must become less.” I believe that if we strive to apply that principle to our decision-making, we will improve our ability to choose glory.

He created us for a higher purpose than our own individual happiness.*