My Green Mermaid Idol

1 Sam 30:6 “But David found strength in the Lord His God.”

John Bevere once gave a definition of an idol that really helped me. An idol is anything that we gain strength from or give strength to. God wants to be both what we gain strength from and give strength to.

Agggghhhh… my idol can oftentimes be COFFEE! I rely on coffee for strength instead of Jesus. Yesterday I drove out of my way to find my green mermaid idol (all the baristas get ready to shank me because it’s a “siren” – i know!)  If you were following my tweet I even BRAGGED about my 6 shot energy-boost. I’m an idiot sometimes. God often humbles me after I speak so publicly about anything but Him…

Now I’m not on an anti-Starbucks rant, and I’m not even saying I’m never gonna drink coffee again, but it can’t be what I find strength in. It’s our Week of War (week of prayer and fasting) at Real Church, and God convicted me in prayer last nite that I didn’t even really ASK him this week what I should fast. I just kind of assumed what I should do… ever been there? In fact, at the beginning of this week, fasting coffee did enter my mind and I quickly dimissed it. It’s often whatever we argue with saying “I don’t need to fast that…” that it’s EXACTLY what we need to fast!

Fasting strips us of wordly attachments, re-prioritizes Jesus at the center of our lives, and increases our hunger and dependence on God.

What do you find your strength in or give your strength to besides God? It can be many things… sleep, food, working out, caffeine, TV, shopping, etc. Even good things, or “necessary” things, can become idols when they have the wrong priority in our lives.

1. Admit it.
2. Tell someone else- if you keep it to yourself, you probably won’t ever conquer it!
3. Fast it. (Fasting is a command, not an option for Christians. Jesus said, “WHEN you fast…” NOT “IF you fast…” see Matt. 6:16)
4. Only re-introduce it if it can have the proper place in your life.

Remember, 1 Cor 6:12!  “Everything is permissible for me”—but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible for me”—but I will not be mastered by anything.