Signs You’re Idolizing Something or Someone

Let’s be honest, we are all passionate about something. Whether it’s a career, a hobby, material things, or a relationship. You have something that makes your heart sing, so to speak… something or someone that you love more than anything on this earth. We are taught from a young age that when we love something or someone we are to put our heart into it and give it our all. But, if you’re not careful, that passion and love can easily turn into idolatry.

Many of us have celebrities we like, look up to and even emulate. Some of my favorite celebs are Yolanda Adams,  Denzel Washington, and the late Maya Angelou. I like them all for different reasons and feel they inspire goodness. But as much as I like these celebs, I know I am not so enamored by them that I idolize them. I only have one idol (Christ). He’s the one I put before everything.

Today, I ask you this: Where does God fit in your life? Is He #1, #2, #3, or a better question would be… Is He even a priority in your life at all?

In Matthew 22:36, one of the Pharisees poses a question to Jesus: “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”

Jesus answers that we are to love God with all our heart, with all our soul and with all our mind … to give God our complete and unwavering allegiance. God is jealous for us and He does not want to share us with anyone or anything.

Sometimes we place our relationship with God on the back burner without even realizing it. We don’t give it our all like we do everything else. 

Here are 10 Signs You’re Idolizing Something or Someone:

1. You find your worth and value in them because they give you status, popularity, and power.

2. When you think of your life without them, you feel empty inside.

3. When you’re away from them, they are all you can think about. Night and day, Day and night.

4. You often feel like they give your life purpose. Without them, there’s no you. Does this sound familiar?

5. They have a major influence on the way you feel and think about yourself. They have total control of your self-esteem.

6. Most of your time is consumed by them. If you could, you would spend 24/7 with them. As the saying goes… “You eat, sleep, and breathe” them.

7. You schedule everything around them. You try to squeeze God in wherever you can instead of making Him the priority to begin with.

8. You neglect other important aspects of your life in order to focus on the one thing  that really matters to you. Read here

9. You’d rather put your faith into someone or something other than God.

10. You found yourself nodding throughout this list, reaffirming that you’ve got work to do.

If so, try not to be so focused on material things or relationships that you forget about your relationship with God. Switch the energy you’re currently putting into your distractions and refocus it where it’s needed, on Him!

That’s why it is so important for us to fast from things that we might be giving too much of our attention to and not giving God enough attention. Just remember God is all you need.