Progression of an Idol

Our home group is studying the Peace Maker: A Biblical Guide to Resolving Personal Conflict by Ken Sande.  Our latest chapter was on the progression of an idol.  To me idols are pretty serious business.  If you have an idol interfering with your worship, its akin to cheating on God, prostituting yourself to some other lover.

Sande points out that conflicts reveal our idols.  First we have a desire, maybe even a healthy desire.  For example, "I desire peace in my home."  Not a bad thing.  It all starts to go bad when we elevate that desire to an unhealthy level and make it a demand.  When that demand is not met, say two small children decide to hold a pep rally in the living room, we begin to judge.  "My unhappiness is your fault.  You are to blame for my anger and annoyance."  Then we punish.  It doesn't have to be physical; it could be withholding affection, giving the silent treatment, lashing out, or hiding in the bathroom.  Whatever it is, we communicate that they will pay for our displeasure.

And that's how it becomes an idol.  We're no longer trusting God to be our only source of peace, joy, security, meaning, value.  We're saying what He did at Calvary isn't enough.  "In addition, God, I must also have ____________ in order to feel loved, valued and happy.  And if I can't have that, I can't possibly be held accountable to love others."  We become consumed with thoughts of this desire turned demand, we nurture it and it becomes a defining characteristic of our personality. "Yes, I'm the frazzled mom that can't possibly be satisfied with life right now; have you seen what I put up with all day?  I'll find my satisfaction later when my sleep isn't constantly interrupted."

Looking at it this way, it is obvious that idols run rampant in my heart.  And their plurality doesn't make them less significant.   Father God, show me the idols that I run to instead of You.  Ground me in the truth that You are enough and that my worth, my satisfaction are all about You, not others.