An Unlikely Idol

Carol Davis has graciously allowed us to repost her blog on enoughfortoday.org. You can hear Carol each weekday on 106.9 FM. You can read her blog at https://cantcookalick.blogspot.com.

“Do not turn away after useless idols. They can do you no good, nor can they rescue you, because they are useless.” 1 Samuel 12:21 New International Version (NIV)

My pastor preached on idols Sunday. Our Bible fellowship group talked about it before service. We talked about the obvious ones…work, technology, kids….etc. But, none of those really struck me.

“When anything in life is an absolute requirement for your happiness and self-worth, it is essentially an idol.” – Tim Keller, Counterfeit Gods

I prayed that God would use the message to highlight any idols in my heart. I thought long and hard about each one carefully. Methodically.

And God answered my prayer. I heard loud and clear.

My brokenness had become an idol.

Say What??? Brokenness??? You gotta be kidding me!!!

My brokenness. Not something you usually associate with idolatry. It’s not a pretty, popular idol like all of the others. It’s ugly and tarnished. Dark and dangerous. Nobody’s going to shine this one up and display it in a lighted curio cabinet.

I realized that being whole has become more important than being holy.

That may not make sense to anybody but me….but, even so, that’s ok. I know in my heart that I’ve been chasing after a healing that only God can give…but, I’ve been trying to find that healing all on my own. If I read the right books and talk to the right people and listen to the right podcasts….then….then I will be whole.

Nope. I’ve just been spinning my wheels which have led me farther away from the one thing that can heal.

Being whole is about that hard work I’ve done on me. Being holy is about the work God is doing in me. Me becoming whole in my own effort doesn’t make me holy. But, being holy will lead me to wholeness through Christ.

Semantics? Maybe for you. But a game changer for me.

Being whole…can’t rescue me. But, the God who makes me holy…He absolutely can.

I’m working on tearing that idol down and I could use some help. Grab a hammer and start smashing!