I have not written a blog all week until now.  I didn't know what to write about, but tonight I was privileged enough to explore idolatry with some lovely brothers and sisters.  We were studying Psalm 31 and how it relates to the idol of approval.  I was supposed to be leading this exploration with another sister, and just as I never would have thought, ended up learning more than I lead. 

 

Our idols get in the way of the Gospel and when I turn my eyes from God and worship approval, my idol impedes the good news being shared.  Last night I had some purely wonderful news to share about how God was working to heal my heart.  I have three best friends and through a series of events, I lost sight of my joy and ended up sharing an unexcited, dull, abridged version of my news.  Only today did I really get to reflect on that and come to a conclusion as to why I reacted in such a way.

 

I desired their approval so much that I ended up chickening out and playing it safe.  I became ashamed that Jesus should have to die for my sins, that I would have to see a therapist to work out the mess left in the wake of sin, and as a result, I held back.  I didn't tell them what God did in my heart, I didn't stand witness to the Kingdom of God.  Today I was guided to the realization of how tangible and imminent the effect of our idols are.  They actively assume the role of God in our hearts and when we worship them, we cease to be beacons of light in that moment.  In conquering our proclivity toward sin and idol worshipping (by the grace of God) we shine so brilliantly that none can ignore us.  In destroying our idols, we finally believe in the Gospel ourselves, in the story of who God is, what Jesus did, and how that affects our lives in real time.

 

-Emilie