Human beings have an enormous capacity to dream big dreams, and we are given that capacity for a reason. Whether those dreams are realistic or not, they are shadows and reflections of deeper, truer dreams put there by our Creator. We want to be the best at something, to accomplish things in life that would make a difference, to reach for glory. Few of us are meant to do that by winning a championship, a Nobel Prize, or some other expression of widespread acclaim. But all of us were meant to do that somehow.
Plenty of spiritual people deny any glory in the human heart because only God is worthy of glory. To them, I would simply point to two facts: (1) you were made in the image of God, and it’s impossible to bear His image without bearing His glory; and (2) read John 17:22, where Jesus explicitly and gladly shares His glory with His followers.
God is not glorified by human beings who minimize their significance, or by those who so focus on their sinfulness that it overshadows their redemption. He is glorified by human beings reflecting His glory and fully stepping into their design as His image-bearers. You simply cannot live up to your calling if you deny the glory God has put within you.
Embrace your own significance in true humility, neither overestimating it nor minimizing it. Your thirst for glory has been distorted over the years, but you are being restored to the image of Christ, where true glory is. You play an extraordinarily significant role in the lives of those around you, whether you realize it or not. Reflect the glory of God to them, and you will enjoy the glory your heart longs for.
