This should start by saying if you don’t believe in God, this conversation will be interesting only as a mental exercise. Because if there is no god then of course God doesn’t show his/her glory since there’s no one to do the showing.

If you do think there’s a God, however, you might have heard the idea of doing something for God’s glory or wanting to see God’s glory. Especially in Christian circles there is often an emphasis on making ourselves smaller in order to glorify God.

That sentiment – that I would need to diminish so that God could be made larger – has negative consequences when improperly applied. In many cases, women are taught that they should not think too much of themselves and certainly not talk about their skills or gifts. That would be immodest and you’d be accused of trying to claim for yourself what ought to be directed towards God.

Have a nice singing voice and someone compliments you? Give God the glory.

Make a sweet shot in basketball? Point to the sky and aim the glory toward God.

Get a strong score on a test? Praise God for the ability to study and that He helped you pass.

See what it does?

If it doesn’t undercut any confidence you might have in your own abilities, it certainly stymies any language you might have for articulating this or advocating for your own merit. If you aren’t supposed to acknowledge your own skills how are you supposed to pursue that higher position at work or talk about your contributions to the company when negotiating a raise? Or even take on more leadership in that organization where you volunteer?

As a woman, maybe you’re being shown that you aren’t supposed to do these things. That’s definitely true in some denominations more than others.

It’s worth noting that if God’s the creator, it makes sense for Him/Her to revel in you as part of creation. It makes sense for Him to take joy in those times when you find your sweet spot and engage in doing something you’re uniquely equipped to do. Why would God be jealous of that? I don’t think She would.

But that’s not the point — the point, this thinking goes, is the reverse…that we forget about God when we pay too much attention to ourselves and our accomplishments. And bet we can agree that we all can think of somebody who thinks too highly of themselves and puts themselves at the center of every conversation or event.

There’s wisdom in focusing the glory on God, as well as seeking out ways to see His glory, whatever that looks like in a modern, practical way. Right about the time I start getting myself into a mental twist about this, it occurs to me that we see His glory more often than we realize, maybe because we haven’t thought to associate glory with a beautiful sunset or when you see a loved one step into themselves and the air thrums with purpose and fulfillment.

God’s glory can be observed when we are most fully alive.

That thought loosens up my heart, and helps me remember that these are breath prayers. And so, I remember to breath.

These are a series of breath prayers. You can see all of them by looking at my page on FB or on IG. These are all either written or inspired by Osheta Moore.