This past weekend, I preached a sermon called “If Only.” Buried inside the passage was a verse that has stayed with me ever since:
“If you believe, you will see the glory of God.” — John 11:40
I haven’t been able to stop thinking about that phrase: the glory of God.
Not just as a theological idea. Not just something we sing about in church. But something real. Something visible. Something we experience in everyday life if we are paying attention.
So I started asking myself a simple question:
Where have I actually seen the glory of God?
The more I thought about it, the more examples came to mind. And honestly, I think if you paused for a few minutes, you could probably identify some in your own life too.
Here are a few places where I’ve seen it lately.
- In Miracles
For me, both of my boys are miracles.
Every parent probably says something like that, but for me it’s deeply personal. When I look at them, I don’t just see my children — I see evidence of God’s goodness and faithfulness.
Maybe for you it’s a medical miracle. Maybe it was a close call on the highway. Maybe it’s the unlikely path that somehow led you to where you are today.
Sometimes we explain away miracles because they don’t seem dramatic enough. But when I really slow down and look at life honestly, I see moments that can only be described as grace.
And grace is glorious.
- In Creation
A couple weekends ago, I drove to Buena Vista.
As I came over Wilkerson Pass, the mountains suddenly opened in front of me. The range was stunning. One of those moments where you instinctively stop talking, turn down the music, and just stare.
It felt sacred.
Creation has a way of reminding us how small we are — but also how loved we must be by a God who made beauty like that.
Sometimes the glory of God looks like a sunrise. Sometimes it looks like mountains. Sometimes it’s found in silence.
But it’s there.
- In Character
One of the more unexpected places I’ve seen God’s glory recently was through simple honesty.
Our neighbor accidentally hit my wife’s car. There were no cameras. No witnesses. Nobody would have known.
But they came and told us.
It ended up being around $5,000 worth of damage, and yet what stood out to me most was their integrity.
In a world where people often protect themselves first, moments of honesty shine brightly. They remind me that God is still shaping people. Still working in hearts.
Character reflects glory more than we realize.
- In Transformation
I help lead an 11th-grade breakfast group with some junior boys, and one of the greatest privileges of my year has been watching them change.
I’ve watched students become more vulnerable. I’ve watched them begin inviting friends. I’ve watched them step into leadership and faith in ways they wouldn’t have months ago.
Transformation is slow. It’s rarely flashy. But when you see someone becoming more honest, more courageous, more Christ-like — you are witnessing the glory of God at work.
God is still changing people.
And that gives me a lot of hope.
- In Hardship
This one may be the hardest to explain.
My wife has gone through eight spinal surgeries. It has been a long road — physically, emotionally, spiritually. There have been seasons where life felt very heavy.
And yet, somehow, we have seen God there too.
Yesterday we were simply out working in the yard together, and we both stopped and commented on how grateful we were just to be doing something normal.
Hardship has a strange way of sharpening gratitude.
Things you once overlooked suddenly feel sacred. A walk outside. A pain-free day. A quiet evening. You notice glory in places you never would have before.
I would never wish suffering on anyone. But I can honestly say that God has met us in it.
Sometimes His glory shines brightest in the middle of perseverance.
So… Where Have You Seen It?
Jesus told Martha:
“If you believe, you will see the glory of God.”
Maybe the glory of God isn’t as far away as we think.
Maybe we just move too fast to notice it.
Maybe today is an invitation to slow down and look again:
• at your family,
• at creation,
• at moments of integrity,
• at changed lives,
• and even at the hardships you’ve walked through.
Because His glory is there.
He is there.
And if we open our eyes to it, this really can be a glorious day.
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