Idolatry: Not Giving Up
In a recent conversation I had with one of our youths, they shared how the more time they spent around the things of God, the less they wanted to spend time in other things. They shared how their mind felt so much clearer after listening to worship music and how their outlook on life was more positive after spending time in God's Word. This has drastically changed the way they live. Perhaps you've experienced this, too?
In my last blog post, I wrote on the issue of idolatry and how it is the turning of good things into god things. I pointed out how it is something we are all prone to do. Contemplating such things can be rather demoralising. How can we change? Especially when we know that we'll only get dragged back into the idolatry of something else at some point in time. We often give up because we get demoralised. It feels pointless trying to fight against it.
But is it?
US President Theodore Roosevelt is quoted as saying, "Nothing in the world is worth having or worth doing unless it means effort, pain, difficulty."
Jesus suffered and died in order to win the victory over sin and death, setting us an example of what we, too, will face in order to share in those same spoils.
In his recent sermon, Adam quoted Paul in 1 Corinthians 9:
"Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever."
Loving God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength is not an easy thing to do. Neither is loving your neighbour as yourself. Both require a great deal of discipline in several areas, including self-control, Bible reading, and prayer. These are not too dissimilar to other disciplines, such as going to the gym, going for a run, studying, and cooking healthy meals. Each of these disciplines has an intended outcome, which often only gets realised over time. They all come with trials and challenges. Nevertheless, we somehow find it easier to discipline ourselves regarding the latter, while neglecting the former.
Why is that?
Is it because we don't typically notice spiritual outcomes in our lives? Perhaps it is because there are no noticeable checkpoints along the way? Maybe it is because it is easier to see the gains in these other areas and not lapse back to who we were before?
In the midst of any discouragement we might feel when we lapse into idolatry, we ought to follow the example of the Psalmist in Psalm 121, who writes:
"I lift my eyes to the mountains – where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth."
How amazing that the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth, would help us, particularly in our weakness! Let us lift our eyes to him. Let us remember who he is. In the words of Paul (Galatians 6:9), "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up."
Jesus has paid the debt for our sins – past, present, and future. This includes all the times we fall into idolatry, when we turn good things into god things. We ought not give up simply because we've fallen again. Rather, we should lift our eyes up to God, from where our help comes, and with his help, we should continue to run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Give yourself to the things of God. Run as though to get the prize – a crown that lasts forever.
"Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Look full in his wonderful face. And the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of his glory and grace."
Keep trusting Jesus,
Stephen
