Is Something Other Than Christ Controlling Your Life? - Daily Hope with Rick Warren - April 30, 2020
As you navigate the complexities of decision-making, consider the Independence Test to determine whether something is dominating your life. By asking yourself if a particular thing could control and dominate your life, you can avoid idolatry and ensure that Christ remains the only one worthy of your dependence.
Is Something Other Than Christ Controlling Your Life? By Rick Warren
“‘All things are lawful for me,’ but I will not be dominated by anything” (1 Corinthians 6:12 ESV).
The Bible is full of wisdom for decision-making. In 1 Corinthians 6:12, Paul says, “‘All things are lawful for me,’ but I will not be dominated by anything” (ESV).
When deciding whether to allow something into your life, you can think of this as the Independence Test.
Ask yourself: Could this begin to control and dominate my life? Could it become addicting to me? Could I become dependent on it?
No matter how fun something is, it’s bad for you if it becomes an addiction.
Why is this so important? Because whatever dominates your life eventually becomes your god. The first of the God’s Ten Commandments—says, “You shall have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:3 NIV).
God knew how easily you could slip into worshiping other things. He knew you could get addicted to your idols.
What are idols? You likely think of idols as something in the past—maybe little stone statues that people put on a shelf and worshiped. But people still have idols today. Maybe you worship the maker of your car, the label in your clothing, or the corner office in your building.
That’s not to mention all of the things you can become addicted to: Work. Sex. Money. The Internet. The list is endless.
How do you know if you’ve fallen into an addiction? How do you know if something is starting to dominate your life—when you no longer are independent of it? Ask yourself: What do I think about the most? When I’m alone, where does my mind go?
For most of us, it’s hard to be honest about the things that dominate our lives. If you’re thinking, “This is not what I’m addicted to. It couldn’t be that.” Guess what? It’s probably that. That’s probably the thing you’re struggling with.
In another translation of 1 Corinthians 6:12, Paul says, “I can do anything I want to if Christ has not said no, but some of these things aren’t good for me. Even if I am allowed to do them, I’ll refuse to if I think they might get such a grip on me that I can’t easily stop when I want to” (TLB).
Paul decided not to let anything—other than Christ—control his life. Jesus is the only one that’s worthy of that place in your life, too. Anything else that you put in that place will eventually dominate and ruin your life. But when Christ is in control, he encourages, enables, and empowers you.
The next time you’re deciding whether something is in its proper place in your life, use the Independence Test. Christ is the only one who deserves your dependence.
For more Daily Hope with Rick Warren, please visit pastorrick.com!
Your Gift Brings Hope to the World
Transform your prayer life with God’s Word!
True breakthrough from the struggles of life begins with prayer—and there is no better place to start cultivating a powerful prayer life than the Bible.
Discover the biblical wisdom you need to transform the way you pray when you dive into this special collection of verses from God’s Word. You’ll be inspired and encouraged by Scripture as you learn to trust in his promises.
Drawing key verses from Pastor Rick’s "40 Days of Prayer" teaching series, this set of 52 beautifully designed cards will help you memorize God’s Word so you can access it when you need it most—and it’s our thanks for your gift today to help more people experience the transformative power of prayer through Daily Hope!
Thank you for helping share the hope of Jesus Christ. May you enjoy a time of breakthrough as you fill your heart and mind with the truth of Scripture.
*The USA IRS code permits you to deduct the amount of your financial gift to Daily Hope that exceeds the fair market value of “current offer” materials you received from Daily Hope.
