A dear friend of ours wrote this:

When I was going through the most difficult time of my life, I thought a lot about one question: I have always said I want to glorify God with my life, but do I allow God to bring about His glory as He pleases? Or do I define what God’s glory means and only accept it if it pleases me?

If I am blessed and successful in every area of life, with no pain, suffering or frustration, I may think that will glorify God; but God may have a totally different idea. He may want to glorify Himself in my life in a way that the world views as humiliation and destruction. Do I still want God’s glory?

This question helped me to clarify what I truly desire in life: God’s glory or my own ideal. I have to let God do it whatever way He pleases, and completely submit to Him.

Ask yourself this question: If it involves my pain and humiliation, do I still want God’s glory?