Today is trash day in my neighborhood, and with that you occasionally get to see some interesting things.
This particular trash day, I saw some child's toy that was being thrown away. It clearly had been well used, but had since broken, and was now destined for the local dump.
It made me think about all the things we put before God, all the things that we lust after that are so darn important at that particular moment in time. Yet, when it's all said and done, they are nothing more than fodder for a landfill.
What are some things that we idolize?
-Food. How often is it used as a stress reliever, something to make us feel good, or as "soul food"?
-Gadgets: This one was a big one for me. Purchasing something new and shiny to make me feel good for a while. You could put clothing, cars, just about anything you wanted into this category.
-Physical pleasure. Again, lots of things can go in here,and lots of "lusts" fill this category.
Now, all that being said, I'm not saying that it's wrong to enjoy things in life. I have never read anything in the Bible that says we are supposed to have miserable lives. But the Bible does give us specific parameters on how we are supposed to enjoy the gifts God gives us. For example, take Proverbs 21:17 : "Whoever loves pleasure will become poor; whoever loves wine and olive oil will never be rich."
There the Bible is warning us that we are not to put wine (and olive oil) before our love for God. How often do you put something in your own life before God?
In my own life, I know I've been guilty of this more often than not. God has had to work with me quite a lot to help detach me from things that I put before Him. I have learned a lot of painful lessons along the way, and I though I would mention a few things that have helped me:
1. The first question I ask myself when temped by an idol is: WHY? Why do I desire this thing?
If I am looking at a new purchase, is it because its something I need, something I can use to help someone out with, or is it simply something that I want? And if I just want it, why do I want it?
See where this is going? I'm trying to get to the root cause of the desire. If the desire does not originate with something God would want me to do or have, then I know its not a good idea to get it. And if in doubt, I take time to think about the purchase, and pray about it.
2. Stay away from temptations. Using an example of food, if Whoppers are your thing, then stay away from Burger King! This may sound overly simplistic, but it works really well. In the New Testament, we are told to flee from sin and temptation multiple times, the most famous of which is James 4:7 "Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." Again, not a hard concept to get our heads around, but we often skate way to close to something that causes us to sin and it gets us. If Whoppers are your temptation (and I'm not trying to knock BK here) don't drive near a BK. If necessary, take a different route with your car and go around the area you know where one is. The last thing you want to do is simply sit in the parking lot, drinking in the smell, and then wonder why your willpower wasn't strong enough.
3. It's not enough to just flee from sin. You also need to turn towards something else. If you flee sin, and just start going in another direction, you will find something else to fill your craving or emotional need. And it may just be another idol to take up your time. When you flee sin, you need to turn towards God. After all, repentance does not mean to just say you're sorry, and that's the end of it. It means that not only do you regret what you did, you also change your behavior to reflect your new belief. That means filling your life up with God, with prayer, scripture reading, etc.
Finally, I want to close with the hope that there can be change, and that you can, with God's help make progress with whatever is getting in the way of your relationship with God. I know, because I have had to overcome many such issues in my own life, and I know that I have accomplished that only through the power of Jesus Christ.
There are many more tips that could be given (such as having people to support you and hold you accountable) but this list was meant as a start, somewhere to begin. My prayer and hope is that you would pray to God to show you what idols you hold in your life, and begin to let them go, and move closer to God.
God bless, and I look forward to your comments!
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