Give

Give

Give

Deep Idols

by Johnny Smith

Earlier​ ​this​ ​year,​ ​I​ ​and​ ​group​ ​of​ ​men,​ ​led​ ​by​ ​our​ ​assistant​ ​pastor​ ​Ian,​ ​spent​ ​several weeks​ ​in​ ​a​ ​group​ ​meeting​ ​that​ ​Ian​ ​named​ ​the​ ​“Man​ ​Cave.”​ ​​ ​Our​ ​study​ ​was​ ​based​ ​on​ ​a series​ ​of​ ​books​ ​called​ ​​33 the Series, Authentic Manhood.​ ​​ ​After​ ​watching​ ​a​ ​video,​ ​we answered​ ​probing​ ​questions​ ​that​ ​involved​ ​exposing​ ​idols​ ​that​ ​are​ ​common​ ​to​ ​men.​ ​We learned​ ​that​ ​there​ ​are​ ​3​ ​main​ ​“deep​ ​idols”​ ​that​ ​are​ ​at​ ​the​ ​root​ ​of​ ​most​ ​sinful​ ​and addictive​ ​behavior:​ ​​Control,​ ​Significance​ ​and​ ​Comfort​.​ ​I​ ​would​ ​like​ ​to​ ​focus​ ​on​ ​the comfort​ ​idol​ ​today​ ​because​ ​it​ ​seems​ ​to​ ​be​ ​the​ ​most​ ​common.​ ​Although​ ​this​ ​study​ ​was aimed​ ​at​ ​men,​ ​I​ ​believe​ ​that​ ​there​ ​is​ ​much​ ​overlap​ ​to​ ​the​ ​negative​ ​behaviors​ ​that women​ ​are​ ​subject​ ​to.

We​ ​value​ ​comfort​ ​very​ ​highly​ ​in​ ​our​ ​society​ ​and​ ​eliminating​ ​stress​ ​is​ ​one​ ​way​ ​that​ ​we seek​ ​it.​ ​In​ ​fact,​ ​a​ stressor ​can​ ​be​ ​defined​ ​as​ ​any​ ​event,​ ​person,​ ​situation​ ​or​ ​feeling​ ​that takes​ ​you​ ​out​ ​of​ ​your​ ​comfort​ ​zone.​ ​Some​ ​stressors​ ​are​ ​good,​ ​and​ ​if​ ​we​ ​never​ ​leave​ ​our comfort​ ​zone,​ ​we​ ​will​ ​never​ ​grow​ ​and​ ​mature.​ ​The​ ​problem​ ​usually​ ​comes​ ​when stressors​ ​enter​ ​our​ ​lives​ ​unannounced,​ ​and​ ​stick​ ​around,​ ​sometimes​ ​for​ ​extended periods​ ​of​ ​time.​ ​For​ ​example,​ ​conflicts​ ​with​ ​family,​ ​friends​ ​or​ ​co-workers,​ ​loneliness, financial​ ​worries,​ ​boredom​ ​or​ ​persistent​ ​pain​ ​can​ ​all​ ​lead​ ​to​ ​ingrained​ ​responses​ ​that are​ ​hard​ ​to​ ​root​ ​out.

When​ ​we​ ​are​ ​out​ ​of​ ​that​ ​“comfort​ ​zone,”​ ​a​ ​number​ ​of​ ​automatic​ ​physiologic​ ​responses take​ ​place​ ​in​ ​our​ ​bodies​ ​and​ ​some​ ​of​ ​them​ ​are​ ​very​ ​unpleasant​ ​and​ ​damaging​ ​to​ ​our health.​ ​This​ ​leads​ ​us​ ​to​ ​seek​ ​relief,​ ​sometimes​ ​in​ ​the​ ​form​ ​of​ ​addictive​ ​or​ ​destructive activities​ ​that​ ​bring​ ​us​ ​temporary​ ​pleasures​ ​through​ ​chemicals​ ​that​ ​are​ ​released​ ​in​ ​the brain.​ ​These​ ​“mediators”​ ​bring​ ​a​ ​temporary​ ​feeling​ ​of​ ​pleasure​ ​or​ ​even​ ​euphoria.​ ​Notice I​ ​said​ ​​temporary ​​because​ ​earthly​ ​pleasure​ ​is​ ​never​ ​long​ ​lasting​ ​and​ ​stressors​ ​are always​ ​waiting​ ​for​ ​us​ ​around​ ​the​ ​next​ ​corner.​ ​If​ ​the​ ​stressors​ ​cannot​ ​be​ ​removed,​ ​the negative​ ​behavior​ ​will​ ​continue.​ ​Paul​ ​in​ ​Romans​ ​admits​ ​to​ ​suffering​ ​from​ ​this​ ​struggle​ ​in Romans​ ​7:15:

"I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. ..... But in fact it is no longer I that do it, but sin that dwells within me. For I know that nothing good dwells within me, that is, in my flesh. I can will what is right, but I cannot do it. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I do."

If​ ​most​ ​of​ ​us​ ​are​ ​honest​ ​with​ ​ourselves,​ ​there​ ​are​ ​certain​ ​things​ ​that​ ​we​ ​go​ ​to​ ​when trouble​ ​comes​ ​knocking.​ ​It​ ​may​ ​be​ ​food,​ ​work,​ ​tv,​ ​drugs​ ​and​ ​alcohol,​ ​sex,​ ​or​ ​even shopping, ​to​ ​name​ ​a​ ​few.​ ​God​ ​made​ ​us​ ​to​ ​need​ ​Him,​ ​and​ ​greatly​ ​desires​ ​that​ ​we​ ​seek Him​ ​in​ ​these​ ​times​ ​of​ ​stress​ ​or​ ​trial.​ ​These​ ​little​ ​idols​ ​are​ ​just​ ​substitutes​ ​for​ ​the​ ​only lasting​ ​Comforter​ ​we​ ​can​ ​find,​ ​which​ ​is​ ​in​ ​our​ ​Lord​ ​Jesus,​ ​through​ ​the​ ​person​ ​of​ ​the Holy​ ​Spirit.

But​ ​how​ ​does​ ​that​ ​look? How​ ​can​ ​we​ ​find​ ​comfort​ ​the​ ​proper​ ​way?​ ​Good​ ​Christian friends​ ​can​ ​be​ ​one​ ​way​ ​to​ ​get​ ​help​ ​in​ ​making​ ​good​ ​decisions​ ​and​ ​getting​ ​temporary relief.​ ​​ ​We​ ​are​ ​called​ ​to​ ​help​ ​each​ ​other​ ​in​ ​times​ ​of​ ​difficulty​ ​or​ ​trouble.​ ​However,​ ​leaning on​ ​others​ ​is​ ​only​ ​a​ ​partial​ ​solution​ ​and​ ​cannot​ ​be​ ​a​ ​substitute​ ​for​ ​the​ ​lasting​ ​peace​ ​that comes​ ​only​ ​from​ ​God.

I​ ​have​ ​found​ ​that​, ​for​ ​me,​ ​spending​ ​time​ ​alone​ ​with​ ​God​ ​and​ ​in​ ​His​ ​word​ ​works​ ​best. The​ ​bigger​ ​the​ ​stressor,​ ​the​ ​more​ ​time​ ​it​ ​takes.​ ​Early​ ​morning​ ​is​ ​my​ ​favorite​ ​time​ ​and has​ ​become​ ​a​ ​good​ ​habit​ ​that​ ​I​ ​look​ ​forward​ ​to​ ​daily.​ ​For​ ​most​ ​of​ ​my​ ​life​ ​this​ ​discipline eluded​ ​me.​ ​​ ​I​ ​could​ ​not​ ​understand​ ​how​ ​people​ ​could​ ​get​ ​up​ ​earlier​ ​than​ ​they​ ​had​ ​to, and​ ​focus​ ​on​ ​God​ ​and​ ​God’s​ ​word.​ ​​ ​It​ ​was​ ​only​ ​when​ ​I​ ​ran​ ​into​ ​trouble,​ ​for​ ​which​ ​my human​ ​strength​ ​and​ ​bad​ ​habits​ ​did​ ​not​ ​provide​ ​relief,​ ​that​ ​I​ ​sought​ ​the​ ​only​ ​true​ ​strength that​ ​is​ ​available,​ ​Jesus​ ​Christ.​ ​​Soon,​ ​I​ ​began​ ​to​ ​see​ ​that​ ​God​ ​was​ ​making​ ​positive changes​ ​in​ ​my​ ​life,​ ​and​ ​in​ ​the​ ​people​ ​around​ ​me.​ ​I​ ​have​ ​learned​ ​to​ ​expect​ ​these​ ​small victories​ ​and​ ​I​ ​praise​ ​Him​ ​and​ ​give​ ​thanks​ ​to​ ​Him​ ​regularly​ ​for​ ​them.​ ​I​ ​see​ ​this​ ​as​ ​a​ ​form of​ ​the​ ​hope​ ​in​ ​God​ ​that​ ​is​ ​spoken​ ​of​ ​so​ ​often​ ​in​ ​scripture.​ ​Romans​ ​15:13​ ​says:

"Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."

If​ ​you​ ​find​ ​yourself​ ​struggling​ ​with​ ​a​ ​destructive​ ​habit​ ​or​ ​addiction,​ ​please​ ​seek​ ​help​ ​from others​ ​or​ ​even​ ​a​ ​professional​ ​counselor​ ​such​ ​as​ ​our​ ​wonderful​ ​Christian​ ​brother​ ​Mischa McCray.​ ​​ ​Always​ ​confess​ ​to​ ​God​ ​first​ ​and​ ​then​ ​trust​ ​Him​ ​to​ ​give​ ​you​ ​freedom.​ ​Our​ ​Lord wants​ ​us​ ​to​ ​have​ ​a​ ​life​ ​filled​ ​with​ ​love​ ​and​ ​joy.​ ​We​ ​just​ ​have​ ​to​ ​remember​ ​that​ ​it​ ​comes only​ ​from​ ​Him.

Blessings​ ​to​ ​you,
Johnny​ ​Smith

Leave a Comment

Comments for this post have been disabled.