I want to be used by the Lord in whatever way He desires, even at the cost of my own pride and dreams.

I want to live knowing that I am moving and breathing within His will.

I want to exist in peaceful surrender to the One Who created me with a specific purpose and design.

I want the Lord to receive every bit of glory that is due to Him, even if it costs me control, status, security or power.

I want to die to self.

Oh, how these statements fly in the face of my sinful, prideful humanity. My flesh wages war against the Holy Spirit within me! Because, if I'm honest, I deeply desire control. How quickly I want to take credit for the work God is doing in others. How bitter I become when I feel robbed of my “right” to comfort and security. How anxious my heart is when I feel alone.

How quickly I allow my own fear, selfishness and desire for control to set me up as 'god' of my own life.

I desire my glory.

I fight for my pleasure.

I believe I have the right to security and companionship.

I see my sinful attitudes and I am grieved at their stubborn, dogged grip on my thoughts, words and actions. It seems I am hopelessly entangled in my old self.

“For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate… So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing.” (Romans 7:15, 17-19)

So what, then? Is there hope in that?

Yes, oh yes; for “it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.”

My soul has been redeemed. I am washed clean. I can now live in the fullness of God's design for my life. Yes, I still live in this sinful body, and I am not immune to temptation or sin. My flesh is fighting for self-gratification and control. But, I belong totally and completely to the Creator, paid for by the blood of Jesus Christ, indwelt by His Spirit. My eternal soul is now safe forever, bought by the blood of the One Who created me.

So how can I be used by Him? How can I credit unto Him the rich glory He unequivocally deserves?

I’ll be straight with you once again: I don’t know if there’s a succinct, cut-and-dry answer. But here’s what I do know:

1. Nothing I do can mess up God’s plan. His sovereign, perfect will is what will be.

“Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the LORD that will stand.” (Proverbs 19:21)

2. We are called to obey Him faithfully out of obedience and thankfulness for what He’s done for us. We will undoubtedly fail, for we will not be perfected until the day of Christ, but by His strength and the guidance of His Spirit, we can obey.

“Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?” (Galatians 3:3)

3. Any good that comes from us is only by and from God Himself, and therefore, He must receive the glory.

“You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.” (John 15:16)

4. God understands our heart’s desires and our fleshly sin far better than we can. He knows us intimately, for He created us specifically and with a purpose—for His glory.

“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:8-10)

5. God uses the lives of ordinary people to glorify Himself. He uses broken, inadequate, inarticulate, excluded, unpopular, incapable, clumsy and seemingly insignificant people to bring Him glory. Why? I don’t really know, except that He made us and loves us.

“But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.” (1 Corinthians 1:27-29)

6. His power shines through the cracks of weakness in our sin-ridden bodies. He receives glory as He mercifully restores fallen people.

“But [the Lord] said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” (1 Corinthians 12:9-10, emphasis mine)

7. He can use our ineloquent, unsure words to convey His truth. In that, He is glorified.

“But Moses said to the LORD, ‘Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue.’ Then the LORD said to him, ‘Who has made man's mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the LORD?’” (Exodus 4:10-11)

8. He uses our failures for His glory.

“The steps of a man are established by the Lord, when he delights in his way; though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong, for the Lord upholds his hand.” (Psalm 37:23-24)

9. He knows our weakness. He knows our failings. We can’t surrender on our own, but rather, He draws and renders us unto Him. In that, we can find peace in knowing that we can’t accomplish anything on our own, and we aren’t expected to. But as ransomed children of the King, we are called to live our lives in alignment with His ways. And this is by His power—not our own, praise God.

“We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin.” (Romans 6:6-7)

10. We ought to be satisfied with not receiving credit, glory or recognition. As creatures designed by a Creator, all that is good is directly from Him. Our ultimate pleasure and chief satisfaction should come from pointing to our God and saying, "He accomplished this - to Him be the glory."

"Now Lord, I would be Yours alone and live so all might see
The strength to follow Your commands could never come from me.
Oh Father, use my ransomed life in any way You choose
And let my song forever be: my only boast is You." (Sovereign Grace Music)

Soli Deo Gloria.