Like rust on a bike chain, idols can stop us from embracing what God calls us to be.
When I had to sell my house, I soon realized how much my identity was wrapped up in the home. In a way, the house was a symbol of success for me. I bought into a lie that owning a home = success. We were moving for good reasons, but I felt a tension between trusting Jesus, and what I thought the idol (a home) would give me. I came to understand that it is Jesus who will be my security and future, while the house will not be my blessing.
“An idol is anything that we look to for happiness or meaning in life or identity that is not Jesus” (Timothy Keller). It can be a good thing (like owning a house) and we make it an ultimate thing. In Colossians 3:5 Paul labels a list of sin all under the term idolatry, that is worshiping something else besides Jesus.
Throughout our life idols and obstacles will come up, and we will have to choose to put faith in Jesus or the idols. If we are to build our faith in Jesus, we will have to deal with our idols. Dismantling our idols will not be easy. However, Jesus does reveal what we must do.
Three things to help dismantle the idols in our life and build faith in Jesus are:
1. Identify the idols
Admit that you want something. If we are to put it to death as Paul says in Colossians, then we must identify it.
2. Repentance and faith
Repentance and faith need to be regular rhythms of the Christian life. Abraham turned from his land, family, country and to God. In the life of the follower of Jesus, this actually is not just a one-time event. As one grows, the Holy Spirit and the scriptural truth together operating on our hearts, will call us to a deeper trust in Christ. They will call us to leave the idols of our life and trust in Jesus. The daily rhythm of Repentance and faith is about putting Jesus back on to the “King-throne” of your life. letting him direct and guide your life and be your identity.
3. Resting in our Identity in Christ.
We turn to idols when we, at some level, believe they will be a better blessing or hope then Jesus. If we are to build our faith in Jesus, we will need to rest in who he says we are. The result of this is that we will stop running after or with idols.
What one of these steps do you need to deal with today, this week?