Who Are You Counting On?

Let me tell you a little story. Once upon a time, I had the biggest crush on a boy. But it wasn’t just a crush. My feelings for him were so unhealthy to the point where I started to become obsessed, and everyone knew it except me. Each year on his birthday, I would make sure I looked my best. My hair would be curled and my makeup would be extremely evident. Call me desperate and hopeless, because that’s what I was. This desperation is known as idolatry. From the beginning to the end of the Bible, you will learn that idolization is a constant theme that runs throughout - and it is extremely important to keep yourself from it. Thankfully, God’s Word convicts us and points us to the One True Idol.

When we think of idols, we tend to think of the gods people used to create back in the day. However, an idol can be anything! Today, common idols are electronic devices, money, substance addictions; you name it. These things that can be identified as idols are not necessarily wrong or evil, but if you use these things in a corrupt way by prioritizing and depending on them as if they are what life is all about (as opposed to God), then you are making an idol out of them. If you examine Isaiah 44:6-20, you will learn that God is the only one who should be idolized. Here, Isaiah ridicules humans who create idols out of earthly materials that God has created, as opposed to idolizing the Creator himself.

Isaiah 44:9 says that “All who make idols are nothing, and the things they treasure are worthless.” When it comes to love, it’s easy to get so caught up in our feelings to the point where we start focusing on the wrong things… and possibly for the wrong reasons. This passage is a good reminder that our love interests (and other idols) are not the highlight of our lives. Relying on your significant other is not going to get you anywhere (Psalm 146:3-4); but rather it’s honouring God and making what’s important to Him important to you that will lead you to a happy eternal life.

“Am I making an idol out of my significant other?” I can’t answer that question for you. However, you can check your heart through comparisons. For example, how much time do you spend with him compared to your friends, family, and God? How many times do you text him throughout the day compared to the amount of time you spend in God’s Word? What do you text about? If it’s only small talk, it reveals your boredom and your need/admiration for his on-screen presence, which is nothing compared to physical communication. Are you afraid to break up? If so, why? These are only starter questions. I think the greatest determining factor I can give you is: do you treat him as if he is the only true reason for your happiness? You can easily answer all of these questions with a big fat NO and say that you do not idolize your significant other at all... but are your answers revealed through your actions?

Keeping a Christ-centered relationship is not impossible, but it takes a lot of effort and dedication that requires the willingness on both sides of the relationship to achieve it. The key to growing in Christ as a couple is knowing that you alone are a child of God first and foremost, whether you are in a relationship or not, and knowing that your sole purpose is to obey and serve Him.

You won’t always obey the Lord well. You will fall short, but as long as you’re committed to serving Him with wholehearted devotion, making the effort to repent, He will forgive you (1 Chronicles 28:9). Put God first. He is a jealous God and does not want to come second (Exodus 34:14). Let’s count on Christ, the true and only God we should be idolizing!