Has Worry Become your Idol?

It is so easy to worry about everything in life.  Life is full of many ups and downs.  This past year seemed like nothing but a down.  I had braced myself for the moment of impact where everything crashed and burned.  Instead of holding onto God's promises I did nothing but worry about what was going to go wrong next. 

 

I saw this quote on Pinterest sometime during last year.  It really spoke volumes to me.  When I was constantly worrying my faith in God was no more!  Ouch!  What a painful lesson to learn.  I had let worry become such a huge idol in my life.  I saw none of the blessings God had laid before me each day. 

I vowed this year to never let worry get in the way of seeing everything God has for me in my life.  Let me tell you we are only 24 days into the New Year and I found myself worrying about things again.  So it really is a daily battle for me to overcome worry.

 

Luke 12:27-31

 

" Consider the lilies, how the grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.  If then God so clothes the grass, which today is in the field and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will He clothe you, O you of little faith?  And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind.  For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things.  But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you."

 

 

God even cared enough to provide beauty for the parts of His creation that have a short life.  Why should I worry if God is taking care o even the smallest blade of grass? The Lord knows my struggles.  He will provide what I need.  Since He will provide everything I need there is NO need for me to worry about the small things.  Things like food, shelter, clothing and money should not be my main concern.  I need to be focused on doing the will of God.  The rest will fall into place.  This is a very difficult lesson to learn!  It's so easy to say I'm letting God have control but harder to actually put that into practice. 

When you place worry before everything it becomes an idol!  I know often people think of an idol as a figure made out of wood or a statue.  God defines what an idol is in Ezekiel 4:4-5.  "Therefore speak to them, and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: Everyone of the house of Israel who sets up his idols in his heart, and puts before him what causes him to stumble into iniquity, and then comes to the prophet, I the LORD will answer him who comes, according to the multitude of his idols, that I may seize the house of Israel by their heart, because they are all estranged from Me by their idols."

Idols are not just carvings made from wood that sit on a mantel, they are godless cravings and commitments that rule in our hearts.  What a thought!!  I had let worry take the place of God in my life.  How about you?  What has become an idol in your life?

I'm going to leave you with this poem I found.

Until I learned to trust,

I did not learn to pray;

And I did not learn to fully trust

Till sorrows came my way.

Until I felt my weakness,

His strength I never knew;

Nor dreamed till I was stricken

That He would see me through.

Who deepest drinks of sorrow

Drinks deepest, too, of grace.

God sends the storm so He Himself

Can be our hiding place;

His heart that seeks our highest good

Knows well when things annoy.

We would not long for heaven

If earth held only joy.

~ Author Unknown

 

What a beautiful reminder.  This world is not our home.  We are only here for a short time.  So I'm going to look at the trials in life as a blessing.  Why?  Because Heaven will be full of joy.