Idols Of The Heart
Recently I was humbled and challenged to speak at our church ladies breakfast. I was told I could talk about anything I felt led to share, a few days later I knew I needed to talk about idols I had created in my own life, idols I had placed and was placing above my love for God. Not because I had conquered these idols or had arrived to a place of resisting them on my own, but because daily I have to lay these things at the feet of Jesus and know that He has paid the ultimate price, for me to have the opportunity to lay them at His feet. His love creates a love and devotion in me to want to please Him, as many times as I fail, He holds me in His arms and picks me back up.
Here is an excerpt: You can watch the entire video or read the transcript, Here.
Some of you may know, last February I lost my 9 year old son, Jonathan. My world was rocked to say the least, I have journeyed through the rollercoaster that grief sometimes is and have wrestled with many questions throughout, thankfully God has been faithful to sustain me and continue to draw me to Him, and in this solidify that in Him I will find true fulfillment and peace.
He has given me a new passion for sharing the gospel and pointing others to the One that is unchanging, immovable and steadfast through each of life’s trials and triumphs - in an ever changing, broken world.
However, there was a point early on where I found myself wanting to go to heaven because Jonathan was there, I longed to see him and be with him. Of course it is natural to miss our loved ones and especially our children, but I was elevating the pleasure of fellowship with Jonathan in heaven over the splendor of eternity with my Heavenly Father. I even voiced these questions on my IG and blog, I wrestled with how I could want the fulfillment of seeing Jonathan again, more than I valued eternity with a Holy God. I had created an idol, of Jonathan and I together again, in my heart.
I had taken a blessing from God, the love Jonathan and I shared, and elevated it above The Giver. My happiness was contingent on what I had lost and when/where I would have it back again.
This realization has opened my heart for God to show me other idols that I have created. God has used this tragic circumstance to further refine my love for Him and continue to sanctify me, in this I am eternally grateful.
God’s work in us is a process - sanctification - it involves, learning, growing, falling, changing, becoming convinced again of truth, falling again and each time returning to our Heavenly Father, instead of running from Him. Only God through his Holy Spirit can transform our desires, and he has a different time table than we do. Even our failures in our struggles ,will make us love Him and His good news more.
God changes hearts. Our heavenly Father has committed himself to our transformation, first from darkness to light, and second from the loves of this world to love under the banner of His, “It is Finished”. He’s given us everything we need for growth in life and godliness that He has ordained, He’s given us every tool we need to fight against our idols and to grow in grace and He has committed all the resources of heaven to accomplish His goal:
He’s given us Jesus Christ - who perfectly loved and worshipped His father.
He paid for all our errant loves, all our idolatries, in HIs excruciating death on the cross.
He has completely fulfilled the Law, we are now free from sin’s bondage.
Jesus Christ, our Advocate, is praying for us, interceding for us, even though we are sorely tempted and tried. Because of His prayer, we know that our faith will never fail.
He’s endowed us with His Holy Spirit, who indwells us and guides us into all truth. He pours out his grace upon us, this grace enables us to desire to do His will and respond in love to His love.
And He’s provided us with the Word of Truth - truth that illuminates our hearts to all the wisdom we need to change in a way that pleases Him.
God will use His Word and His Spirit to reveal your idols, your love gone wrong and to develop wholehearted love and devotion in you - all for His glory and praise!
“Little children, guard yourselves from idols.” 1 John 5:21
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