When You Make Idols, You End Up Like Them
By Rick Warren
“Those who make idols end up like them. So does everyone who trusts them” (Psalm 115:8 GW).
Even good things—like our marriages, our families, our hobbies, the people we admire, or even our ministries in the church—can become idols if we place a greater emphasis on them than on our relationship with God.
Anytime you think fulfillment comes from who you’re with or what you do, you’re setting yourself up for a deep disappointment. Created things simply cannot give us meaning in life; only our Creator can do that.
The Bible says, “The poor, deluded fool . . . trusts something that can’t help him at all. Yet he cannot bring himself to ask: ‘Is this idol that I’m holding in my hand a lie?’” (Isaiah 44:20 NLT).
We want to live in the truth of God’s reality, not in the lie created by our own hand. These idols won’t just stop after they’ve disappointed us. Eventually, they will control us.
The Bible says, “Those who make idols end up like them. So does everyone who trusts them” (Psalm 115:8 GW). Whatever you value the most in life, you’re going to become like. If you value money, you’ll eventually become materialistic. If you value pleasure, you’ll become hedonistic or self-indulgent.
On the other hand, if you value Jesus above all else, you’ll become like him.
So if putting something else first in our lives warps us, why do we do it?
We want a god we can control. We want to be able to manage him. But why would you want to follow a god you can control and manage? That’s no god at all.
Guess what? You don’t have to settle for that kind of god. You can choose to give yourself over to an all-knowing, all-powerful God who can take you places far beyond where your fantasies and idols ever could. And that’s a reality that won’t leave you feeling disappointed.
PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick >>
For more Daily Hope with Rick Warren, please visit pastorrick.com!
Be Encouraged Each Day to Live Out God’s Purposes
As thanks for your gift below to help share the gospel with more people around the world through Daily Hope, we’ll send you Pastor Rick’s new book, Daily Hope Devotional: 365 Days of Purpose, Peace, and Promise.
Each devotional starts out with a Bible verse, followed by teaching that explains God’s Word and shows you how to apply it daily so you can face any challenge and live the life you were created to live.
As a special bonus when you give, we’ll also send you What's Driving Your Life?: A 10-Day Turnaround for a Fresh Start. Featuring 10 hand-picked devotions from Pastor Rick’s new book, they’ll guide anyone feeling stressed, worried, or discouraged toward seeking God for a fresh start.
Request your copy below when you give—and take the first step towards a year of real purpose, lasting peace, and unfailing promises.
Thank you for your partnership!
*The USA IRS code permits you to deduct the amount of your financial gift to Daily Hope that exceeds the fair market value of materials you received from Daily Hope.
This devotional © 2018 by Rick Warren. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
You can listen to Rick Warren on OnePlace.com.
