Introduction
We live in a world where personal development and success are hot topics. We are expected to be high performers for our own dreams, goals, and purposes. With all the data, information, and how-tos, we can and should know how to be anything. Our present age is filled with life hacks, techniques, formulas, and “get off the couch” mantras. Of course, they are peppered with stoicism, Eastern meditation, and secular humanistic philosophies. There are supplements, apps, book clubs, fitness routines, life coaches—the list goes on. This is all to make a better you, for you. This has bled into the church. However, as we will see from our text today, God alone accomplishes mighty things through us for His glory. That’s the point of our existence if we are believers in Christ.

Today’s Scripture
Ephesians 3:20-21 (New Living Translation)

"Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen."

Explanation and Reflection
According to Paul, we exist for a cause greater than ourselves, and the source of our greatness is really God’s greatness manifested in us by the power of the Holy Spirit.

1. For His Glory
   The New Testament word for “glory” is doxa in the original Greek. It means splendor, majesty, magnificence, excellence, preeminence, or dignity. It’s also used in the Bible to describe celestial bodies like the stars, moon, and sun. It’s the idea of something that is glorious. When God bears fruit through us for His glory, we shine, and He gets all the credit. Sorry to break your self-esteem bubble, but we are not that big of a deal. We don’t need to be. He alone is the “big deal.”
2. Through His Power
   Paul clearly identifies here that the greatness that comes from us really comes from God. To take credit for God’s work through us is pride. Tim Keller called it “cosmic plagiarism.” Think about it. Who gave you your gifts, your time, and your resources? Who controlled what country you were born in? Who gave you the parents you had? Who provided the economy you enjoy? Who blessed you with your education? It wasn’t you. As James states so clearly in James 1:17, “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.”
3. By His People
   Here’s where we come in. Yes, we play a small role. The role has two parts: submit and surrender. Outside of our availability for His opportunity, we are nothing. God can and does want to use us, but He can get it done without us. As we learned earlier in Ephesians 2:10, “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.”
4. Beyond Our Imagination
   Here’s the crazy thing: When we serve for His glory through His power, God does things beyond our wildest imagination. Our personal dreams are small compared to God’s dreams for us in His kingdom. You can use a hammer to butter bread, scratch your back, and dig a hole, but a hammer really shines when you use it for nails. It was created to build things. When a tool functions based on its intended design, it produces its best work. When we are used by God for His intended purposes, the best things happen.
5. For His Church
   The exercise of our gifts isn’t just for His glory but also for the church, because when the church is blessed, God is blessed. One mistake is thinking that after we bless God, the blessing should trickle down directly to us. Our motive becomes, “Let me bless God so that I may be blessed.” No. This is the prosperity Gospel, and it’s very dangerous. Yes, when we bless God, it trickles down to us, but that’s not the goal. Plus, there is a layer in that trickle-down between us and God. That layer is called the church. We bless first for God’s direct glory, second for the church, and third for ourselves. In other words, we personally get the leftovers. But here’s the thing—kingdom leftovers are not scraps. They are not cold, stale, or second-class. When we serve, sacrifice, and dream for God’s glory and the church before ourselves, God is generous to those who are generous.

We shouldn’t be against improving ourselves, life hacks, and mantras for motivation. However, we as a culture (and in the church) have become consumed with self-improvement out of self-interest. As God’s holy people, we must work with the goal of blessing God and others. God’s agenda is more important than our own.

Question of the Day
Here's a question for you to think about and apply:
In what ways do I seek self-improvement and self-development that are out of alignment with God’s intention for my time, gifts, and talents? How can I refocus those for His glory and the advancement of His church?