“You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below.” Exodus 20:3-4
Idols. This word often conjures up images of old testament golden calfs or other objects created and worshiped by humans centuries ago. However, idols are just as prevalent today as they were in old testament times -- they just look a little different.
You see, an idol is anything or any person you put before God. And let’s be honest right now -- we all struggle with idolatry. It’s part of our sinful nature. And it’s something we will always have to fight against. Perhaps the hardest thing about idolatry is that what we idolize is often something good, something positive. They are blessings from God -- loved ones or children, money, jobs, dreams, comfort, etc. -- that we have chosen to make our primary focus, ultimately (and inadvertently) valuing the gift over the Giver.
We are great at masking our idols and telling ourselves that they are not central in our lives. I am learning that I can easily deceive myself when it comes to the good gifts God has given me. I choose to relish the gift instead of the Giver. To place my confidence and trust in the gift instead of the giver. And I tell myself it’s all okay because it is a “good gift”. But the truth is, I’ve made the gift ultimate. And often times I have to be stripped of the blessing, or my circumstances have to change, so that the gift is no longer available to me before I can begin to understand how central I have made it in my life.
Lately, God has been opening my eyes to the idolatry in my life and teaching me a few things about Himself in the process. Here are four things I’ve learned:
1. Idols only take days to build up but years for God to tear down. Idols often linger much longer than anticipated. Remember, we’ve made them ultimate. We’ve allowed them to get into our thoughts, habits, and everyday routines, and in order for God to break those idols. This takes time. Don’t get discouraged if you continue to struggle with an idol. Just confess it and bring it to Jesus each time you realize it. He patiently and persistently pulls and chips and chisels away at them. Always consistent. Always faithful. Always patient. Always persistent. This is a testament to His unconditional love and relentless pursuit of us.
2. Idolatry has many layers, and God wants to address each one. Sometimes He demolishes the idol with one fell swoop because He is a big God and no obstacle can deter Him. But I'm learning that He often addresses it in stages and rids me of the various lies and insecurities I have accepted and developed by peeling by the idol one layer at a time. And with each layer, He reveals His character and my need for Him in new and specific ways, causing me to run to Him for forgiveness and freedom, taking me deeper and deeper in relationship to Him.
3. Our salvation is immediate, but our sanctification takes a lifetime. I so desperately want to be made perfect here and now. But that’s not how God operates. He swoons us through the consistent revelation of who He is and our need for Him over a lifetime, sanctifying our hearts in the process. I don’t have to beat myself up because I’m not perfect yet. I can be thankful with each layer of revelation that God is continuing to pursue and sanctify me, patiently working for me and with me as I go. This makes every day purposeful and hopeful.
4. His purposes in ridding us of our idols are many. These purposes touch various areas of our lives and relationships with Jesus, and we will reap the benefits of surrendering our idols to Him in numerous ways. He will use our story for our good and His glory. That’s why He doesn't just want to make sure we put nothing before Him, He wants to pursue us and win our hearts in the process, allowing us to realize that there truly is no idol, absolutely nothing, worthy of comparison.
The first step to seeing God demolish our idols and bring us closer to Him is confession and repentance. When He shows us our idols, we must admit that we have placed them above Him and ask Him to tear them down, and then let Him lead us into true freedom (Galatians 5:1, Romans 6:22, Romans 8:1-4, 2 Corinthians 3:17). Only through His power and revelation will we be able to overcome those things we hold too tightly.
Is there anything you’ve made ultimate in your life? Begin by confessing it and asking God for help. Our gracious Lord is waiting to bring you closer to Himself.
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