Avoiding Idols

If you've ever read scripture that talks about idols, you probably think of golden statues of various forms that the Israelites would sometimes pray to.  You may also have noticed scripture's many warnings about avoiding idols.  To us it may seem pretty simple, pray to God and not to statues.  However, like many things in our modern world, idols can be sneaky and confusing.

An idol is anything that we spend most of our time focused on and what we turn to the most that we place as a higher importance than God.  They can creep up on you, and can start as a blessing that we push to a higher status.

Recently my fiancee pointed out to me that I had made him an idol in my life and had put him on this pedestal.  At first it seemed crazy but, when I really thought about it, I knew he was right.  My fiancee is the answer to one of my heart's greatest desires, and he's something that I've always wanted- someone to love who loves me in return.  Sometimes I take the blessing of his love too far and, instead of turning to God for His joy, love, and strength, I'll turn to my fiancee for those things.  I also know he's become an idol in my life when I hold him to an unrealistically high standard and want to control him to make him the man I want him to be.  Thankfully this usually backfires on me.  These are all signs that I've made him my idol.  Thankfully, God is very merciful and convicts me of it without taking my fiancee from me and giving me the opportunity to try again and do better.

My fiancee is just one example of something I sometimes put higher than God.  For some people it's sports, or friends, or money (ALERT: big one mentioned in the Bible.  You can't serve God and money), or control, or a job, etc.  Anything in this world can become an idol if we focus on it so much that it comes above our God.  As the hymn goes, "On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand".  Putting anything above God will cause you to stand on sinking sand.  Thankfully God is merciful and will give us another chance to do better!  Monitor yourself and where you spend most of your time in thought and action, and you'll have a much better chance of supporting yourself on the rock that is Christ.

May God always be with you!