Idol Factory

“Everything that kills me makes me feel alive.”

– One Republic

Over the last 6 months, the most important thing I’ve learned is how naturally detached I am from God. Simply by being born, my very own nature innately and consistently chooses to turn away from God and focus on myself. How heartbreaking. My heart is an idol factory, always on the lookout for ways to make myself feel valued, loved, and worthy. If I take my eyes off Christ for a second (which, let’s be honest, happens about 37,892 times a day), I begin looking for the next best thing, trading in His promises for a cheap, temporary fix. Why does it feel so natural to chase these other things (idols, sins, gods)? How could my heart do this to God over and over again?

In the wise words of One Republic, “everything that kills me makes me feel alive.” How true is that? Seeking ourselves often provides an immediate, exaggerated spike in self-gratification.  We feel alive and better than ever; endorphins pumping. We forget our need for Jesus because for just a moment, we gained that feeling for ourselves. We are our hero. Or, maybe we think it has nothing to do with Jesus at all; we're simply trying to make ourselves feel better and don’t see it as the replacement of God (spoiler: it is).

So, what happens next? We continue to chase that feeling and feel depleted when we can’t find it. Or if we do find it, the happiness passes just as fast as it came. It’s both addictive and unsustainable, but the idol eventually fails us. This is always the case because the Bible promises it! Deuteronomy 8:19 says in the end, we and whatever we are seeking above God will perish. We and our idols cannot and will not stand the ultimate test of time.

“It shall come about if you ever forget the Lord your God and go after other gods and serve them and worship them, I testify against you today that you will surely perish.” Deut. 8:19

After many rounds of this chasing game, I’ve come to believe (and yet still doubt) that Jesus is the only thing that can provide the long-lasting, stable fulfillment that I am seeking. The thing that I’m habitually searching for can only be found in Christ – through steady, consistent and intentional relationship with Him. We shouldn’t simply chase our fleeting emotions but preach to them and constantly remind ourselves of the one source of all things good and true. And even if we “know” this, we will continue to fight our very own nature every day for the rest of our lives.

What makes you feel alive?

Money? Affection? Power? Comfort? Approval?

Let's plan to battle daily to turn away from ourselves and re-orient towards God - the only one who can never be replaced. Soldiers, prepare for combat.