Nothing good can possibly come of this!

How many times has this thought run through my mind when faced with something difficult, or when something is not going the way I hoped? Many times I felt it when Lexi was struggling with addiction. I couldn’t see through the dark clouds to think there was anything worthwhile that could come through that battle. And I have thought it many times in many out-of-control situations since!

Four little words in the Lord’s Prayer can flip our perspective. “Hallowed be Your name.”

According to John Piper, when we recite these words, we are not just declaring God’s name to be hallowed. We are petitioning God, requesting Him to see to it that His name be hallowed – that it will be honored as holy on this earth. 

This gives our prayers such a different perspective! Instead of feeling lost and defeated by trials and stressful situations, we say:

Lord, this isn’t making any sense right now, but please let Your Name be glorified.

I’m feeling anxious and confused, but God, whatever happens, bring glory to Your Name.

I don’t like how this is panning out, but somehow let Your Name be hallowed.

Asking for God to bring glory from our difficult situations, knowing that He can and will, helps us take our eyes off ourselves and also gives us hope that God will bring something good from them.

Here are just a few ways that God’s name can be hallowed in our trials:

• Trials drive us to the arms of God. What could be more glorifying to His name than having us grow closer to Him? 

“For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead.” 2 Cor. 8-9

• Trials give us a connection to others who are also suffering. We are able to feel empathy and help comfort each other.

“Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” Gal. 6:2

• Trials help us relate to Christ.

“For we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too.”  2 Cor 1:5

Sometimes it truly doesn’t seem possible that anything good can come of a situation. But just because our feeble and finite minds can’t see God’s greater purpose doesn’t mean it isn’t there. Just because a situation seems awful and hopeless to us doesn’t mean God can’t glorify His name through it. And we must ask Him to do so.

God, today I ask for your name to be hallowed in ______________________________.