Idols?
When you hear the word idol, what comes to mind? Maybe you picture a golden Buddha statue, the infamous golden calf from the Bible, or even pop culture icons like American Idol contestants, K-Pop stars, or the Kardashians.
Idolatry might seem like an old problem—something ancient civilizations struggled with as they bowed to golden statues. But the truth is that they are still at work today—sometimes in ways we don’t even recognize. Our hearts tend to elevate things above God, turning them into idols. These can be anything we prioritize over Him, often without realizing the dangers they pose.
What Is Idolatry?
Idolatry is misplaced worship. It happens when we love, value, or trust something more than Jesus. It could be anything that takes up more of our time, attention, and affection than God. We were made to worship, but we have a choice: will we worship the Creator or created things?
Exodus 20:1-5 makes it clear:
"You must not have any other god but me."
"You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind."
"You must not bow down to them or worship them."
Idolatry today can look different from biblical times, but it's just as real. Some modern idols include:
Technology (social media, entertainment, advice from influencers)
Wealth & Possessions (newest phone, car, or fashion trends)
Status & Reputation (popularity, social media following, being admired)
Appearance (obsession with looks, fitness, or how others perceive you)
Success & Achievement (grades, sports, clubs, success at work)
Approval & Popularity (lkiving for likes, follows, and validation from others)
People (celebrities, politicians, relationships, even family)
Comfort & Pleasure (binge-watching, endless scrolling, laziness)
Security & Control (financial stability, predictable routine, or avoiding discomfort)
Idols don’t have to be bad things; they’re often good things that become ultimate things. When anything—even a blessing from God—takes His place in our hearts, it becomes a problem. Only God is worthy of our worship.
How Do We Recognize Our Idols?
Since our hearts naturally drift toward idolatry, we need to actively identify and remove the things that take God's place.
Key Questions to Ask Yourself:
What do I love the most?
What do I think about the most?
How do I spend my free time?
How do I spend my money?
Jeremiah 17:9 warns that "the human heart is the most deceitful of all things," so we need help from God and others to recognize the people and things we idolize.
Ways to Recognize Idolatry:
Read the Word – Scripture exposes what truly matters.
Ask the Holy Spirit – He will reveal areas where we’ve misplaced our worship.
Seek Godly Community – Friends who love Jesus can help us stay accountable.
How Do We Remove Idols?
We can’t remove idols on our own. We need God’s help! Instead of just trying to "be better," we must refocus our hearts on Jesus.
Steps to Overcoming Idolatry:
Start with Jesus. Let Him love you instead of just trying to modify your behavior.
Position yourself to experience His love. Go to church, spend daily time with God, and open your heart to Him.
Give God your attention and affection. Worship isn’t just about Sundays—it’s about daily surrender.
Identify What Has Your Heart – Ask yourself: What do I think about most? What am I afraid of losing? What do I turn to for comfort?
Confess and repent from misplaced worship. Recognize when something has taken God’s place and turn back to Him.
Allow the Holy Spirit to reshape your desires. Ask Him to transform what you long for.
Replace idols with God’s goodness. Remind your heart of who God is, what He has done for you, and the truth that only God satisfies. Find practical ways to replace your idol with God and the truth.
Safeguard against idols. Put practical steps in place to keep God first in your life, like strategically removing or limiting the influence of your idol, setting boundaries, and building in accountability.
Living a Jesus-Centered Life
The truth is, we were made to worship. If we don’t worship God, we will worship someone or something else. But idols always overpromise and underdeliver. Only Jesus truly satisfies. We don’t have to live joyless lives—we’re called to live Jesus-centered lives! The fullest, richest, most beautiful life is one where Jesus is our first love, reigning on the throne of our hearts.
God alone is worthy of our worship. What or who has your heart today? How can you take a step today toward worshiping God alone?
