When Glory Meets the Ground

I used to think glory was something that happened in worship services—those moments when you could tangibly feel God's presence and everyone seemed caught up in something bigger than themselves. While that's certainly one expression of glory, I've discovered that true biblical glory is meant to be far more practical and transformative than I ever imagined.

Glory is meant to change how we live, love, and relate to each other every single day.

A Three-Year-Old's Revelation

The first time I experienced inner healing, I saw a memory I'd carried for decades but never understood. I was about three years old, watching my father walk out the door with a suitcase. This memory would resurface randomly over the years—just a flash—and I could never figure out why it stuck with me.

My parents didn't actually divorce until I was nine, and my father came back from that particular trip. So why did this one moment lodge so deeply in my psyche?

During that healing session, the Lord showed me something that changed everything. In the moment my father walked out that door, little Susan believed that if she had been a good little girl, he wouldn't have left.

That lie created a computer program in my subconscious: "If I am not perfect, if I am not good enough, then bad things will happen and people will leave." For decades, I lived with this low-lying anxiety, always striving, always performing, always trying to be enough.

The Truth Virus

When the Lord revealed this lie, something beautiful happened. As an adult, I could easily see that a three-year-old wasn't responsible for her parents' marital problems. It was simple for me to come out of agreement with the lie.

But here's what's amazing: even though I could reject the lie intellectually, those neural pathways had been grooved in my brain for decades. The Lord had to plant what I call a "truth virus" into that old computer program.

Now, when I catch myself falling into that old pattern of anxiety and performance, I can recognize it and choose differently. I can say, "That's not true. What's true is that I am perfectly made, I'm going to make mistakes, and just because I make a mistake doesn't mean bad things will happen. God's okay with my humanity."

This is glory meeting the ground—God's truth transforming the lies we've believed about ourselves and rewiring how we think and live.

Glory Isn't Just an Emotion

When people talk about "feeling the glory of the Lord," they're often describing an emotional experience during worship. And that's beautiful—we should feel His tangible presence. But biblical glory (kavod) means so much more.

Glory is about weight, substance, power. It's about God's attributes being fully seen and recognized for what they are. When we talk about bringing God glory, we're not adding to Him (He lacks nothing), but we're coming into awareness of who He truly is.

And here's the revolutionary part: when we understand that we bear His image and carry His nature, we begin to reflect that same glory. We become living demonstrations of God's character in the world.

The Transformation Process

The Lord, in His kindness, doesn't show us all the areas where we're falling short all at once. That would be overwhelming. Instead, He allows us to be tested—not to make us fail, but to reveal where we're not yet reflecting His glory.

Maybe it's anger that flares up when we're challenged. Maybe it's fear that grips us when facing uncertainty. Maybe it's bitterness that we've carried toward someone who hurt us. These are all places where we're "falling short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23 NIV).

But here's the beautiful part: every area where we fall short is an opportunity for transformation. When the Holy Spirit reveals a lie we've believed or a wound we've carried, He gives us the chance to align with truth and receive healing.

As 2 Corinthians 3:18 (NIV) tells us, "But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit."

We're designed for increasing levels of glory—increasing capacity to reflect who God really is.

Glory in Relationship

This transformation isn't just for our personal benefit. When we begin to understand our true identity—that we're beloved children of God, carrying His glory—it radically changes how we see and treat others.

In my marriage with Gregory, I've experienced what it looks like when two people committed to their own transformation choose to honor the glory in each other. We don't always get it right, but we're both committed to the process of becoming more like Christ, and that creates space for incredible intimacy and partnership.

When I see Gregory through the lens of his true identity rather than just his current behavior, it changes everything. Even when he's tired or stressed or not at his best, I can choose to see the man God created him to be and the glory he carries.

The same principle applies in every relationship—with our children, our coworkers, our neighbors, even difficult people in our lives. When we learn to see others as God sees them, we can love them toward their highest potential rather than reacting to their worst moments.

Practical Glory

So what does this look like in daily life? It means:

In our thought life: We learn to catch the lies and replace them with truth. Instead of "I'm not enough," we declare "I am fearfully and wonderfully made." Instead of "They're my enemy," we say "They're God's beloved child, even if they're acting badly right now."

In our relationships: We choose to honor the image of God in others, even when they're not honoring it in themselves. We speak to their potential rather than just their problems.

In our conflicts: Instead of trying to win, we seek understanding. Instead of defending our position, we pursue God's wisdom together.

In our daily work: We approach every task as an opportunity to reflect God's excellence, creativity, and love for people.

The Ripple Effect

Here's what I've discovered: when we begin to walk in our true identity and see others through God's eyes, it creates a ripple effect. People sense something different about us. They feel safe around us. They experience unconditional love, maybe for the first time.

That glory—that manifest presence of God working through transformed people—is what draws others to Jesus. Not our perfect theology or flawless behavior, but the tangible reality of God's love expressed through healed, whole human beings.

An Invitation to Transformation

If you're reading this and recognizing areas where you're falling short of God's glory—places where fear, anger, shame, or old wounds are still driving your behavior—I want to encourage you. This isn't condemnation; it's invitation.

God wants to meet you in those broken places and plant truth viruses that will transform those old computer programs. He wants to show you who you really are and heal the lies that have kept you from walking in your full potential.

This is how glory meets the ground—not in emotional worship experiences alone (though those are wonderful), but in the daily transformation of human hearts and lives. It's in choosing truth over lies, love over fear, and honor over competition.

When this happens—when glory truly meets the ground in our lives—we become part of the answer to Jesus's prayer in John 17. We become living proof that God's Kingdom is real and His love can transform anyone willing to receive it.

The world is waiting to see this kind of glory. They're hungry for authentic relationships, genuine love, and real transformation. When they see it in us, they'll know that Jesus really is who He claimed to be.

That's glory with skin on. That's the Kingdom come to earth.

Blessings,
Susan 😊