We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.
And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life. Little children, keep yourselves from idols. (1 John 5:19-21)
In Seeing With New Eyes, David Powlison offers a type of diagnostic test for identifying idols in our lives.
- What do I worry about most?
- What, if I failed or lost it, would cause me to feel that I did not even want to live?
- What do I use to comfort myself when things go bad or get difficult?
- What do I do to cope? What are my release valves? What do I do to feel better?
- What preoccupies me? What do I daydream about?
- What makes me feel the most self-worth? Of what am I the proudest? For what do I want to be known?
- What do I lead with in conversations?
- Early on, what do I want to make sure that people know about me?
- What prayer, unanswered, would make me seriously think about turning away from God?
- What do I really want and expect out of life? What would really make me happy?
- What is my hope for the future?
May we find peace, contentment, comfort, worth, identity, resolve, hope and joy in God this week. He alone makes known the path of life. In his presence alone there is fullness of joy. At his right hand alone are pleasures forevermore (Psa 16:11).
I offered 6 questions to answer this same question over at my blog a few weeks ago.
Then I read a book that made a great point I hadn’t even thought of. In “Taming the Techno-Beast” Todd Wilson spoke of idolatry and the real key was sacrifice. If I want to know who or what is really my god, I need to ask what do I sacrifice for? And what am I sacrificing for it?
Thanks for the link, Edwin. And for the quote on sacrifice. That’s a powerful point.