The scriptures often exhort us to “give glory to God.” Isaiah 42:12 cries out for the mountains, rivers, and all inhabitants of villages, cities and everywhere else to “give glory to the Lord!” As I mentioned before, the Hebrew word for Glory is “weighty.” It means heavy or important. Is it possible for mankind to add any weight to God? Can we make Him any more important than He already is? No, of course not! But we can bring attention to His Glory to the world around us. This is, perhaps, what is meant by “give glory to God.”
There are many ways one can call attention to God’s glory, but what seems to do it best is faith. Philip Ryken says, “How can you reflect God’s glory? First, by putting your faith in him. Until you trust God, it is doubtful whether you can glorify him at all. You have to begin by admitting that you cannot save yourself, that only Jesus can save you. Once you do that, then all the glory for your salvation will return to God.” Actually, Ryken is correct, and we see that in Romans 4:20, where Paul explains how Abraham gave glory to God. This passage says that Abraham “was strong in faith, giving glory to God.” Faith is not subscribing to a particular set of doctrinal beliefs. It is confidence in, trust in a personal being. In this case that being is God. We must trust God through all the joys and trials of life. That’s one way we “give Him glory.” Trusting God acknowledges His greatness and sovereignty and everyone can see that when we do it.
When a believer worries he takes glory from God. Well, at least he withholds attributing glory to God. Worry is such a worthless practice. Charles Mayo wrote, “Worry effects the circulation, the heart, the glands and the whole nervous system. I’ve never met a man or known a man to die of overwork, but I have known a lot who died of worry.” MacArthur adds to this thought when he says, “We live in a day when people worry about how long they will live. That’s a harmful practice because you can worry yourself to death, but not to life.” Finally, John Piper concludes my thoughts when he says, “sometimes we just have to get tough with ourselves and say, “Soul, this fretting is absolutely useless. You are not only messing up your own day, but a lot of other people’s as well. Leave it with God and get on with your work.” We magnify the Lord; we give Glory to God, like Abraham did, when we trust Him. When we’re strong in our faith, God is glorified.