Solo De Gloria

And now some thoughts on some weeknesses that I have...(I know it's hard to believe all of you who thought I could do no wrong :) ) Well, as most of you know, I enjoy doing a lot of things for other people. I am a creative minded person who would just about do anything for anyone. A lot of the things that I do are things that people praise me for...for those of you that know me, I do NOT know how to take a compliment. I brush it off saying that it's not that great or just kind of give back a shy thank you, and brush it off like it was nothing...well, I was listening to the radio tonight, and another song came on that made me start thinking on my way home from work, so, here are my thoughts on what is going through my mind right now...

Can you take me by the hand

Can you use me as I am

Break me into who you want me to be

When the time is finally right

You will open up my eyes

Show me everything you want me to see

This life is not my own

Chorus:

To God alone be the glory

To God alone be the praise

Everything I say and do

Let it be all for you

The glory is yours alone

Yours alone Take the offering

I bring You want more than what I sing

Can I give you every part of me

Turn these pennies into gold

Take this life I call my own

Until I'm running after your heart

I'm needing to let go

We will rise and we will fall

But you remain after all

You're glorious and beautiful You're beautiful

Aaron Shust was on the radio this evening talking about this song, and how it got it's origin...aparently, Bach, Handle, and some other famous composers would end their scores of music with the letters S.D.G "Solo De Gloria" (To God Alone) meaning that wether they were writing that song for the king, for a church service, or to make money, they were giving the credit to God because He is the one who gave them the talent and everything they do should be to His glory.

Well, I got to thinking (scary!!) You know, so often, at least I know for me, I don't like taking compliments because I feel like I would be stroking my own ego, and I don't want to do that. Although, I do like to hear that people enjoyed what I did, I don't like to show that I enjoy it. When I heard this song on the Radio, I was thinking, how often do I just brush off the compliments because I want to make myself look humble, which in turn makes me feel better about myself? The thing I do, the talents that I have were given to me for a reason, and I realize that a lot of the time, I do not give the glory to God. I want to keep it all to myself, and affirm myself with the compliments that people give me.

So often, we get caught up in just wanting to be accepted and affirmed by others when we do things that we do not even realize that we are taking the glory away from God, who gave us the gifts that we use, in order to affirm ourselves in what we do. I do believe that God uses these times in our lives to show us exactly what our lives are not about...ourselves! When we learn that we are wholy here for His purpose, and begin to use our talents in exactly the way that He wants us to, and to give Him the glory for everything we say and do, life finaly begins to make sense. I never thought about how I rob God of the glory when I deny compliments by others. There is a fine line of receiving praise and keeping it to ourselves, and receiving the praise and giving the glory to God. I have struggled with it, and I'm sure you have too, but when I heard this song, I just started thinking about how often we can rob God of His praise and we don't even realize it. I hope that this makes sense, and that it will challenge you to in everything you say and do, give ALL glory to God, for He is the one who has blessed you!

"We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him givern diligently, if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully."

Romans 12:6-8