Identifying Idols in Our Lives
One of the first things I was taught after becoming a Christian was how important it was to relinquish the idols in our lives to God. What is an idol though? It was hard for me to really understand what that meant since I didn’t have physical statues in my home that I was bowing down in front of.
As I thought about it, and started reading more about what idolatry meant in the Bible, I started to understand that anything that kept me distracted from God or that became a pursuit besides getting to know Jesus better could be an idol.
I thought about my schooling, and how getting a C, or having to retake any class to get my GPA back up sent me spiraling into dizzying anger, disappointed in myself, talking down to myself, comparing myself to friends who school was easier for, being angry at God for making me stupid. Huh, that definitely sounds like an idol to me, was a thought that struck me one day. How am I going to fix that?
“Whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”- Matthew 16: 25
I reached my breaking point the second time I failed my biomechanics class. We had this impossible professor that not only started off his lecture opening his giant binder of inappropriate jokes that included ones mocking God and Christianity, but he hated me. Literally. The semester before, I opened up to my boss that I had been offered a copy of his tests from the girls on the gymnastics team, and what I should do, and she encouraged me to tell our professor. It turns out he knew about it, he had for ten years probably, as those tests were how his students managed to pass. Well, when I “snitched” the department head found out, the gymnastics coach, the entire classes, and I was not a popular person for a little while.
I knew I did the right thing, but by turning down that test, I suffered tremendously. Even though I started a study group that helped the rest of the class pass the second time around since we ALL failed the first time. Even though I got mentoring and extra help. I remember opening up my computer, praying for a “C,” and a big ole’ “D” was looking back at me. I flipped my bookcase over and smashed it to pieces. My roommates thought I was crazy but understood my dilemma. This class set me back from graduating another semester, all because I didn’t cheat.
I knew this was an idol for me- school. I shouldn’t react so strongly to something like this. I could retake the class, and I know I honored God by not cheating and valuing my integrity, even though it cost me so much in the long run. Are you ready to give me what was mine all along? I had been fighting for control of my schooling for so long, having enough money to get through, getting a high enough GPA, and maintaining my status in the honors program. I almost lost it all my junior year too. I almost lost my scholarships because I had been living in sin the first two years of school and squandering my time not studying enough. I was finally kicked out of the honors program after failing that biomechanics class again. The sports girls knew who I was, and not for a great reason, and I felt like such an outcast. Yet, I knew I had finally let go and let God. I let him have what was his, to begin with. I let him take control of my studies, and started speaking life into myself about my opportunity, the brain he’d given me in his marvelous purpose, and that I was seeking God in my success in school, honoring him with my integrity, motivation, and taking care of the gift he’d given me which was college.
I still graduated a semester behind. I still got kicked out of honors after all the work I’d put into trying to stay in it. I still cried from being so tired from studying sometimes. I turned down a lot of hangouts and parties for library time. I blasted a lot of worship music and Lana Del Rey with a Not Your Mother’s Rootbeer to stay awake through my online classes and homework. It was still impossibly hard, but God saw me through it, and I dedicated my degree to him in the end, and he honored that pursuit so mercifully.
Maybe you don’t relate to this story. Idols come in so many shapes and forms and can sneak into our lives without us noticing. This article from Graceful Abandon may give some more insight to identifying idols in your life with these lies versus Truths questions:
Idolatry Examples: Lies V. Truth
Lie of idolatry: “If I just go hang out with my friends, I’ll be happy. If I fall in love, I’ll be happy.”
No! This makes idols out of the relationships in your life.
Truth of grace: God is with you and He never leaves you (Joshua 1:9, Psalm 139).
Lie of idolatry: I deserve to be happy and I need to do what works for me. I can’t handle all of this and I need to run away from it and do something for myself.
No! This makes an idol out of yourself.
Truth of grace: God will deliver you from this (Psalm 34:17). It’s not your job to manage your anxiety; give it to God (1 Peter 5:7).
Lie of idolatry: Being a wife will complete me; after all, the two become one.
No! This makes your husband into an idol.
Truth of grace: Your husband can never complete you; that’s not his purpose. You are, however, the Bride of Christ and HE will complete you (Colossians 2:10).
Lie of idolatry: I’m a good mom and everything I do is for my kids.
No! This turns your children into idols.
I heard this song not long into my journey of Christianhood, and it helped me really understand idols so much and be so convicted to clear them out of my life.
