Thomas Watson’s timeless advice to glorify God in your life helps us know how to glorify God. This list was first printed by Puritan Thomas Watson in 1692 in his bestselling classic, A Body of Practical Divinity.
Here are 17 ways of how to glorify God in everyday life based on scripture and Bible verses.
1. We glorify God when we aim purely at his glory.
“I seek not mine own glory, but the glory of him who sent me.” (John 8:50)
“Father, glorify your name.” (John 12:28)
Thomas Watson: “It is one thing to advance God’s glory, another thing to aim at it. God must be the ultimate end of all actions.”
2. We glorify God when we sincerely confess our sin.
“Then Joshua said to Achan, ‘My son, give glory to the LORD God of Israel and give praise to him. And tell me now what you have done; do not hide it from me.’” (Joshua 7:19)
Thomas Watson: “The thief on the cross had dishonored God in his life, but at his death he brought glory to God by confession of sin.”
3. We glorify God when we believe by faith.
“No unbelief made him (Abraham) waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God” (Romans 4:20)
Thomas Watson: “Faith knows there are no impossibilities with God, and will trust him where it cannot trace him.”
4. We glorify God when we are tender to his glory.
“For zeal for your house has consumed me, and the reproaches of those who reproach you have fallen on me.” (Psalm 69:9)
Thomas Watson: “When we hear God reproached, it is as if we were reproached; when God’s glory suffers, it is as if we suffered.”
5. We glorify God when we bear spiritual fruit.
“By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.” (John 15:8)
Thomas Watson: “It is not profession, but fruit that glorifies God.”
6. We glorify God when we are content in the state Providence has placed us.
“The LORD is my chosen portion and my cup; you hold my lot.” (Psalms 16:5)
Thomas Watson: “A good Christian argues: It is God that has put me in this condition; he could have raised me higher, if he pleased, but that might have been a snare to me; he has done it in wisdom and love; therefore I will sit down satisfied in my condition.”
