Giving Up My Idols, episode 164

0:00 If you love a prodigal, you can discover help and hope for your wilderness journey right here at the When You Love a Prodigal podcast. And also help and hope for your own life journey. So did you gain some help and hope for setting your prodigal free from the evil one's traps? I trust so. And today we're going to talk about some freedom for you. Please be sure to jot down any ideas that you can apply today. Or you know what I always say, you'll forget. I've always been amazed at the idolatry of the children of Israel throughout the Old Testament.

0:45 I was sure I would never worship an idol until I discovered that I had some idolatry problems. The prophet Isaiah repeatedly mocks the children of Israel for carving idols to worship out of half a log and cooking their dinner with the other half. How could anyone think that quote, God could save them? We read in 1 Samuel that rebellion is like the sin of witchcraft and arrogance like the evil of idolatry. That's in 1 Samuel 15. Wow.

1:25 I need to examine my rebellious tendencies because I do have them. Is it permissible to stand against injustice? Of course. Is it good to push the boundaries to reach a breakthrough? Probably. Often. Is it okay to break rules for a higher purpose? Well, sometimes. Is it right to say no to God to choose my way over his way? It's not right and it's not wise. So do we sometimes choose not to follow his way?

2:07 Most of us have to answer yes to that. We do sometimes choose our own way. And God understands our struggles. But he gives us every reason not to rebel. He proves over and over that our stubborn and rebellious choices are not only foolish, but they represent the idols in our minds and hearts. How do I know he understands? He's God. He is good. He knows. He cares. And he is able. He is a perfect blend of justice and mercy.

2:51 He loves me more than I can understand. But he is holy. And he is grace. And there are so many more things that are true of him. When I recognize that, do I still rebel, demand my own way? Sometimes. But fortunately, life and experience have taught me well. I totally believe that his way is always better than my way. And gratefully, I usually now finally choose that way without a fight, almost always now.

3:33 The reality, sometimes I thought I had to have something, something tangible, a certain car, or recognition that I thought I deserved, or any other things that I thought would make me happy or fulfilled or satisfied. And those things can become idols. If I think I have to have it, it's like I'm putting that as higher value to me than the Lord himself. Idol, as defined by God, is anything that is higher in our affections than God.

4:14 He's got to be the top, the most, the best, because he is. Whatever we think we must have to be happy, something that occupies the throne of our lives is an idol. The primary idols of my heart, well, for sure my own way, control of my own life. From the time I was born, I wanted my own way. My family has told me that many times. And it's taken quite a few decades since I came to Christ to really be able to hold open hands.

4:56 As I grew in my walk with God, I discovered this pattern in my conversations with God not infrequently. I would say, Lord, I must have this, something I wanted. God would say, probably not, Judy, just surrender. You will find what you really want. I'm a slow learner. Maybe you are, too. When God called me to serve him, my fiancé said, no, he wasn't going to serve God. He was going to go get a job. And I said, Lord, tell him that we're going to serve God. And God said, Judy, if you marry him, you won't be able to do what I want you to do.

5:42 Which was I going to choose, my way or God's way? I remember that I fought with the Lord pretty much all night that night. And in the morning, I surrendered. I chose God's way. And I have loved what God has had for me to do. When a man who was less qualified than I was given the job I thought would be mine, I said, no, Lord, that is not right. And God said, this is of me. It will be good. Again, a little arguing with the Lord.

6:24 And I said, I choose your way. I surrender. And God used me to help that man, but he used that man to teach me so much and prepare me for my next assignment that God had for me. So grateful that God doesn't let me settle for demanding my own way. When the man I loved was in no hurry for marriage, this was a few years later, I said, Lord, either let us get married, my plan and a good one, or just let this be over. I'm done with it. And God said, no, stay, Judy.

7:05 You have much to learn about my way. Finally, I surrendered. And that man was definitely worth waiting for. When my first baby cried for months, I said, Lord, I am no good at a mother. I just think this is a mistake. And I'm sure I'll never be in control of my life again. And God said, Judy, you are just right for this child. And she is just right for you. For she will help you learn that your control over life is not as good as my plan for your life. And once again, I surrendered.

7:47 And each day I learn more about choosing God's way. I wish I could say that I have always stayed surrendered, that I keep my white flag waving. But my desire for my own way is deeply ingrained, so my father continues firmly, creatively, gently, even lovingly, to pry my fingers loose from my grip on my life, calling me to let go, to trust him, to surrender. And when I once again say, I must have this, he says once more, really, Judy, I have a better idea.

8:31 And once again, I hopefully say I surrender. Though still, sometimes begrudgingly or reluctantly, sometimes with deep sorrow or confusion, occasionally with anger and rebellious words, too often letting go of the same thing I must have over and over, and then it comes. Once again, I surrender. Those examples are idols. Yep. Anything that I put higher in my affections than God becomes an idol.

9:13 Anything that I think I must have can become an idol. We know that God told us not to have any gods higher than him. That is no idols. Over and over in his word, he reminds us that he is El Elyon, the most high God. He says these beautiful words to us. To whom will you compare me? Or who is my equal? Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens. Who created all these? Who brings out the starry hosts one by one and calls forth each of them by name?

10:00 Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing. Yet we are so like the children of Israel, constructing our own idols, pursuing what we think will satisfy or rescue. I know. I've done this before. My recidivism rate is pretty high. Why do I want my way so much? When you love a prodigal, this can be a frequent conversation with God. Our most common idols are people, the people we love.

10:41 Often those much loved wanderers and their return become idols in our hearts and minds. Some time ago, our son was going through a hard time. I thought he was doing well, making good progress, but I realized he was again making some poor choices. My response, no, he can't. I can't bear going back to what it used to be like. I can't stand for him to not choose God's best. I just can't keep doing this. There he was again, up on the throne of my heart.

11:25 Prodigals can spend a lot of time on the throne of our heart. His becoming the man God made him to be had become, once again, an idol for me. Once again, I needed to take this thing I must have off the throne of my heart and put it on the altar as an offering to my God and say, please God, take your rightful place in my life. And then God said to me that time, let's make a memorial, a remembrance of this surrender which continues to be so hard for you.

12:06 Take a piece of white paper, like a white flag, and write on it the idol you are surrendering. I did that. I wrote Josh's name and my desire for him to be all that I hoped he would be. I wrote that on that paper. Then he says, offer it up to me, a sacrifice of your heart. Set it on fire. Burn it, a sweet incense offering. Then collect the ashes and place them in your little alabaster urn and place it where you can see it to remind you that you have given that idol to me and that you can trust me to guide your life and to make sure that you're never giving up on your prodigal.

13:01 Keep it where you can see it, the Lord said, when you find yourself once more placing him or something or someone higher in your affections than your love for me, let it remind you of your white flag, of your surrender. Sometimes it still takes a little while, but oh, the freedom when God is in his rightful place in my life, on the throne, in control, and my idols, still important in my life, but not an object of worship. So what about you?

13:41 Did what I was sharing from my life cause you to realize that you have an idol or maybe several, that you need to surrender to the Lord? Do you need a white flag? I hope you find the freedom that I have found as you offer your idol or idols, most often at this point in life, your prodigal, up to God. He will never quit working to bring him or her back to you and to himself. I just can't tell you the freedom and the peace that will come as you keep open hands, keep your white flag surrendered there to say, God, I trust you.

14:29 And even as this person I love so much becomes an idol, that I can give him back to you, I can turn her back over to you and say, I trust you, Lord, I surrender. I would love it if you took a minute to look at the show notes. There will be some things that might be really helpful to you. And it'd be really nice if you checked if you enjoyed this, if this was a helpful session for you. And you can even subscribe to the podcast so you don't ever miss it. Thanks so much. God bless you.