To Glorify You

This poem was written July 15, 2016, and inspired by the following quote from the book “The Kneeling Christian,” by A.E. Richardson:
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“Is it not a comfort to us to know that we may bring more glory to God under something we are apt to regard as a hindrance or handicap, than if that undesired thing was removed?”
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No longer I seek, nor ask from Your hand
The means I believe will make Your work expand.

No longer I’ll ask for what I think will give
Fulfillment, or comfort, or joy while I live.

No more will I thresh out my reasons to You
For what I believe You should rise up and do.

No more will I tearfully plead for Your gifts
Or beg You to heal any friendship with rifts.

No—henceforth I’ll bring but one simple request;
Henceforth, my prayers must bring alone what is best.

For henceforth I determine to ask naught of You
But Your glory in each thing I have and I do.

For, if this be my heart’s true and earnest desire,
No longer can self be such damaging mire!

No longer could deepest desires denied
Cast doubt that Your love’s just as deep—still as wide.

No longer could failure from man’s point of view
Cause me to faint in my service for You.

No longer could lack of results or success
Bring fear, lack of joy, lack of peace, or distress.

No longer could trials of testing and pain
Seem pointless, or hopeless, or traversed in vain.

For if all that I ask is to glorify You,
I know that I’ll have this petition of You.

For You’ll never deny that Your glory be seen
On Earth, or in Heav’n, or the life in between.

So I’ll know that whatever You send—or withhold—
Is an answer to prayer, thus more precious than gold.

And I can be certain I’m not missing out,
Nor enduring too much of a trial or drought.

Instead, I can view what’s denied or outpoured
As the means to best glorify my God and LORD.

So help me, dear LORD, in my cries out to You,
To seek nothing more than to glorify You.