Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to HIS purpose.
I capitalized his in bold print to emphasize that your purpose in life may be at odds with God’s purpose for you. Over the years this verse has been used to calm the souls of people who are going through troubling times. “Why, why, why?” We want to know why we have to go through the tough things of this life. Two things are important in receiving the peace of God through the use of this verse. Number one is loving God. Do you love God? The second is His purpose for you. Do you know God’s purpose in your life?
In most of the cases I have witnessed over the years our love for God is severely tested. Satan applies every pressure to separate Christians from Jesus Christ. One of those tests is to find you a purpose in life which is not God’s purpose. That is vanity as I described it for you yesterday. So how do you know if your purpose in this life is God’s purpose for you? There is a way to examine your life and identify God’s purpose for you.
Is God being glorified?
Is it bringing souls before the Lord?
Does it serve the needs of the body of Christ?
Vanity in purpose does just the opposite of these things. Vanity glories in attention. Vanity builds an audience to self-satisfaction, not thinking of others. Vanity serves itself.
Do you know how to glorify God? It is not what most people define as glory.
Vine’s Expository Dictionary on glory Strong’s number 1391 “glory” (from dokeo, “to seem”), primarily signifies an opinion, estimate, and hence, the honor resulting from a good opinion. It is used (1) (a) of the nature and acts of God in self-manifestation, i.e., what He essentially is and does, as exhibited in whatever way he reveals Himself in these respects, and particularly in the person of Christ, in whom essentially His “glory” has ever shone forth and ever will do, John 17:5, 24.
Does Jesus Christ reveal Himself in you? If not, then the second and third issues are meaningless.