Glory or Help?

Every once in a while as I'm praying for the Lord to provide help for something going on in my life, I can feel a twinge of selfishness and doubt. Perhaps my prayers of late have only been to ask God to give me something. Perhaps the thing I'm asking for is selfish. Besides, I don't deserve God's favor, so how dare I even ask for Him to give His favor to me - especially after He's already given me more than I deserve?


Recently during my morning quiet time, I came across Psalm 31:3 (NET):


For you are my high ridge and my stronghold;
for the sake of your own reputation you lead me and guide me.


King David, who wrote this psalm, credits God for being his stronghold, and then acknowledges that God had provided him with the same kind of help that I feel selfish asking for (in this case, guidance). But this guidance was given "for the sake of your own reputation." For God's "reputation," the glory of His name among the nations. In other words, the help God provided was for David's benefit, but ultimately it was for His own glory.


This gives us helpful, simple advice on how to ask God for His help. Consider praying this way: "Lord, help us, but only if it glorifies You."


Ask for God's help in areas that are good and within His permissive will. Pray for God to help not only "me", but "us" - for the benefit of others besides yourself, too. But whatever help you are asking for, ask only if the answer would truly glorify God. Submit your desire for getting what you want to God's glory. Refuse answers to your request that do not glorify Him. Ask God to use the answer to your prayer as a means to glorify Himself or else deny the request entirely.


Keeping this in mind has helped me to pray for help more humbly. It has also caused me to not pray for some things that I might have otherwise. And it has lifted my prayers beyond my own self-concern to the things that concern God.