How to Love God: Define Idolatry in Your Life
Do you want to know how to love God more? Then, define idolatry in your life.
We all have things we enjoy; television, reading, or social media. However, when is our love for these things too much? What if I am addicted to sin? Have I gone beyond God’s love with my idolatry? What is my first step towards freedom? How do I remove idolatry from my life? Just be still and know you are still loved!
Idolatry meaning: What do you mean by idolatry?
“I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but not everything is constructive.” 1 Corinthians 10:23 NIV.
What do you mean by idolatry? Let us start by talking about addiction. Ever hear the word addict used to insult or label someone as bad. According to dictionary.com, an addict is “a devoted fan” or “a person with an uncontrolled compulsion to continue engaging in an activity.” An addict is also someone who is a slave to any action or thing. Many people use the word solely for drugs or other negative objects. Everyone is an addict; however, when addicted to the right thing, it might not be a bad thing.
Idolatry meaning: addicted to anything, even if it is something good.
I love many things. Entertainment, happiness, phone, and YouTube are just a few idolatry examples that come to my mind as I write this post. However, and most importantly, I love and am addicted to Jesus. Let that sink in. I am both a slave and a loyal fan of God, Himself!
Everyone is addicted to something. Imagine something you could not live without or would be difficult to remove from your life; likely, you are addicted to this thing. However, not everything that makes you happy will be an addiction in your life.
Define Idolatry: What do you mean by idolatry?
“My people have committed two sins: They have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water.” Jeremiah 2:13 NIV.
My addictions cause me to do things I do not want to do, such as staying up late, relaxing instead of working or putting off spending time with God. Most times, our addictions are idolatry and sinful. Some activities or objects that turn into addictions are not bad or sinful, yet we end up sinning when doing them. The actions may not be bad, but our heart corrupts the actions.
“For freedom, Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.” Galatians 5:1 ESV.
When we are addicted to something other than God, even if it is doing good works, we are putting God second. This is idolatry. Every time we sin, even if we are not addicted to the thing, we commit idolatry. However, addiction is rooted in idolatry. Even though God is loving and patient, He should not compete for our love or time. This is how we answer how to love God or how to show our love towards him. We do this when we define idolatry in our lives and rid ourselves of subtle addictions. The church should be addicted to God alone.
How to Love God More: Accept His Love and Confess Idolatry
“Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?” Matthew 16:24-26 ESV.
After learning to define idolatry, the next step is to let it go and turn back to God. Letting go and getting rid of your sinful addictions is a difficult and painful process. Even though I have faced many problems and victories, I still fight against my idolizing nature daily. Even now, God shows me things I have idolized. Still, after everything, God loves me, delights in me, forgives me, and gives me life. In fact, He loves it when we turn from our idolatry!
God is merciful, gracious, and just. When we are sinful, we break God’s law and are indebted towards Christ. By repenting, we submit to God. Even if it is a necessity and an important fact of our relationship with God, He loves it when we let Him redeem us. He loves it when we let Him fix our lives. Now we can answer the question of how to love God? Turn away from your sins and accept His love for you.
Acts 3:19 NIV says, “Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord.”
Many people say that the first step towards recovery is accepting that you have a problem. This is true. Without accepting your addiction, there will be no recovery. The first step in overcoming idolatry is to repent of your sins and admit to God that you are a sinner. Only a sinner could accept salvation from God. Imagine the help you get from God now that you are a part of His church.
While God can use other ways, take time to listen and ask God (with thanksgiving and praise) to show you your addictions and your sinful nature. Is God truly the only one on your heart, or does He have to share? What activities or things are becoming idols to you? What are you truly focusing on, your addiction or loving God?
Pray that God shows you your idols and then ask Him help to deliver you from the desire of your sins so that you may love Him more!
Focus on Truth, then healing will follow!
If you know something that you idolize, ask God what you should do and seek what the Bible says.
Occasionally, letting go of the activity is the only way to become free and run the race. However, sometimes this is not the will of God. Sometimes He calls us to discern our actions with the encouragement of others.
Take time away from the activity to seek the will of God (fast the activity for a time) so that your desires are not clouding your heart. Pray daily that God removes the desire of idolatry from your heart and then ask God to replace your desires with His desires.
“And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever” John 14:16 NIV.
Try growing your relationship with God, seeking the will of God, and leaning into the support of strong believers, to beat your sinful nature. Focus on God, His Word, and your love towards Him instead of your idolatry, and trust that you are still loved!
Remember when I said that the first step towards recovery is admitting you have a problem? The Bible says we are the children of the Father; we are the princes and princesses of the Kingdom of God. The enemy wants you to remain slaves to sin. However, God says that we are His, and He is ours. You are never alone; you are never unloved. How to love God more: define idolatry in your life and rid yourself of idol worship today.
-Leanna
Join us on a 30-Day Faith Journey.
Follow us on Pinterest or Instagram for more faith inspiration.
Such wise words from a young girl. John Calvin said, “the human heart is an idol factory.” We have to be sober minded to continue to rid our lives of things that creep in and put themselves above our devotion to the Lord. Thank you for the reminder.
Wow! What a fitting quote–thanks for sharing!
Spoke so much truth!! Addictions come in MANY forms and it is wise for us to know the difference!
Shauntae, Thanks! I continue to learn every day.
Great post! Anything we treasure more than Jesus is idolatry. May we all have a greater love for Him and set aside any other thing that is distracting us from our walk with Him!
Thanks, Susan! I really strive for a close walk with Jesus.
Just because we can do all things through Him doesn’t mean we have to. Overdoing as you say “good works ” can be replacing Him and it is not grace.
Rebecca, I continue to learn to say no to doing too much, even good things.