“They traded the truth about God for a lie. So they worshiped and served the things God created instead of the creator himself, who is worthy of eternal praise! Amen.” Romans 1:25 (NLT)
God’s formations surround us from the roots of trees to the frozen tips of mountain tops. They are within us with each miraculous heartbeat and soul-filled experience. Proof of His magnificence exists inside of the constructs of emotion and relationships around us that serve as the foundation of wonder and amazement in the immeasurable bewilderment in each corresponding detail that is creation. However, this incredible existence that builds the lens we view the world with can often become a distraction from the Creator Himself.
Idols that go Unnoticed
The complexities within creation often highlight how immensely small we are in comparison, which can often ignite an adoration that is similar to worship without realizing the place in our lives that we have allowed it to overtake. While the beauty in nature, our loved ones, our children, our own accomplishments, and the beauty of creativity that God allows can be remarkable, we too often place those inspiring creations on a pedestal that monopolize the majority of our thoughts, adoration, and time.
Seeds of Idolization
The overwhelm of emotion that can erupt through experiences that we see God’s fingerprints on can become seeds of idolization that sprout into obsession and veneration. When we are not careful, self-worth can turn into selfishness, creative gifts can turn into fixation, appreciation for entertainment can dominate our time, the beauty in a fruitful marriage can replace our relationship with God, or the adoration of our children can disrupt the focus from the Lord’s radiance and splendor. With all of the unbridled power of God in view before us each day, it is still somehow easy to forget that the creativity, success, nature, ministry, marriage, love, experiences, and children are a result of His gifts. The gratitude we have for the blessings in our lives can remain immense as long as we are aiming that gratitude toward God, rather than toward our own hard work, intelligence, creativity, or emotion.
Appreciation Rather Than Idolization
All that is good comes from the Lord, and the Lord can turn all things for good, so when we witness the magnificence of His brilliance in our children’s beautiful faces or the encouraging overwhelm in a loving marriage, we must harness that emotion into praise for Him, rather than let it engulf us in praise for humanity’s involvement in the wonderment.
In the dopamine-laced creativity that distracts us through the lights of screens, He is the light that molded the beautiful minds that create entertainment and technology. While something can serve a purpose, the world can also use it to shroud us in distraction from Him.
While the blessings of success, intelligence, and even ministry bring a feeling of fulfillment, none of it is possible without the Lord. Once the focus changes from work ethic, stewardship, and serving to financial gain, self-praise, or distraction, the blessing has become an idol, and purpose is misplaced.
Rather than allowing our gifts and blessings to transform into idolization, we can stay in steady thankful prayer, offering the blessings back to the Lord in praise, rather than planting their seeds deep to flourish as selfishness, pride, or sloth.
While contemplating the gifts God has bestowed, consider how we can give them back to the Lord in gratitude. Through placing God at the head of the home, in the midst of our talents, and in the moments of rest, we turn distracted idolization into His glorification in fulfillment of His purpose for us all.
Cassandra is the author of Growth in the Grief and The Grit and Grace Column. She is also published in Arise Daily, Snark and Sensibility, and Heart of Hospitality Magazine. She is a wife, mother, writer, U.S. Navy veteran, cybersecurity business-owner, podcaster, and doctoral student with degrees in English and business, and majors in strategic leadership and technology management. Her current research focuses on servant leadership and leader-member exchange within strategic leadership. She is the mother of four children and lives on her homestead in the mountains of Maine with her family, dogs, highland cow, pigs, and chickens.
Visit Cassandra’s website, or grab her for speaking or podcastinghere.
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A great reminder. Thanks for sharing this message