What Has Come Before God in Our Lives?

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I think one of the most subtle ways of getting us away from living for God is idolatry. In the Old Testament it was everywhere, even Jacob had family idols. In the West we don’t tend to have many of those kind of idols, but they take the form of other things that can come before God in our lives.

It has been scary to me how things have come into my life that seem fine, or even are good things, but they can gradually become more important to me than God – which means they are idols. Even our belly can become our god!
 “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. “You shall have no other gods before Me. “You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. Ex 20:2-5

Most of the time these things have crept up on me very gradually to the point that I am shocked when I realise that something in my life is an idol. So I thought it would be helpful to write out a checklist of things to help us see if we are putting something before God.
If you have an answer to these questions – it doesn’t necessarily mean it is an idol, but it may be. I have written this more as a way of checking our hearts, so that if something comes up a lot we can pray and think about it more.
  • What/who do you think about a lot?
  • Where do your thoughts stray when you are reading the Bible or in church?
  • Where do you go when you need comfort?
  • What do you make sacrifices for?
  • What would you find it difficult to go without?
  • What stops you from obeying God wholeheartedly?
  • What is your heart set on?
  • What is really important to you?
  • What do you like to talk about?
  • What do you do when you have spare time?
  • What or who are you trying to please or satisfy?
  • What do your top God-given priorities (like time with God, spouse and children) often give way to?
  • What are your strongest desires?
  • What are you trying to promote?
  • What do you boast about?
  • What makes you upset and frustrated when it doesn’t go as you want?
  • Where do you get your satisfaction and joy from?
  • What do you spend your money on (after the necessities)?

 As I said, the answer to these things is not necessarily something that’s an idol, but if there is something that comes up a lot it might be, so it is worth taking some time to think and pray about.

Here are some examples of things that can become idols:

  • Entertainment
  • Sleep
  • Food
  • Comfort
  • Reputation
  • Approval of others
  • Husband or wife
  • Children
  • Career
  • Hobbies

 Many of these are perfectly good in themselves, but when we set our heart and focus on them, to the point that we lose our joy if they don’t go our way, or where they displace God from where He should be in our lives and affections, then they may have become idolatrous.
 

What is the answer? We can to go to the cross, since there is no condemnation in Christ Jesus. We just need to repent and return to our first love, to set our hearts on Christ, to seek Him and get our joy and satisfaction from Him.

Once we have realised that we are putting something before God we need to take steps in our mind and practically, with God’s help, to put God back at the centre of our focus. And then… here is a great quote from Kay Smith – ‘Hold things on earth with a light touch.’ I am still learning every day to do this!!

Have you any experience of these things or others becoming an idol in your life? Can you share how you dealt with it?

Linking up with:

 and Thought Provoking Thursday

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4 Responses

  1. Florence says:
    12 October, 2011 at 11:17 am

    Thanks for this post, I really here what you’re saying…

    For me, idolatory comes from the need to escape things in my life that overwhelm me. For a long time I would escape to tv shows e.g. lost and any other fantasy/fiction world that didn’t resemble my life, for a long time it was chick lit and historical romance novels (the trashy type) and now funny enough it’s food!!!!

    But I know and hear God is calling me to put these things away, and I can see that the need to escape comes from deep wounds that have yet to be healed. I know God is healing them in His way in His time and I am making the extra effort to put these things away from me, the first step they say is acceptance so I guess I’m going in the right direction.

    Thank you for sharing.

  2. Rhoda says:
    12 October, 2011 at 10:58 pm

    Thank you for sharing Florence! I too have had idols that I escaped to, and still struggle with food often!! I will pray for your wounds to be healed and for God to be your comforter.

  3. Misty says:
    13 October, 2011 at 2:44 pm

    Thank you for sharing this thought provoking post. Often times in our culture and with our youth as I watch my children grow, I see money, fast cars and fashion as idols. For me.. it may be my hobbies but I ask God to reveal things to me daily, while I am not perfect so I can be closer to Him. Hear Him clearer, its good to turn the tv off, (which was my idol) and spend moments in silence with Him. Thank you for sharing.

  4. Rhoda says:
    13 October, 2011 at 2:51 pm

    Hi Misty, thank you for sharing. That is what I try and do now too when I am tempted to go to something else for comfort and escape – and it does really help me to focus on God instead.