Idols

We don't often discuss our idols. The worst part of idols is that they can be anything. Even religious things or good things can become idols, and we don't even notice that we care about them more than we should. Of course we can enjoy the things of this world, but we cannot live for them, love them or desire them over our Lord. Our homes, our children, our futures....these can all become idols, even though, on their own, they are blessings from God. We must be careful, because idolatry, even of "good" things is sin.

This Five o'Clock Club has been kicking my butt; this is no suprise to my very patient husband. I am making excuses every minute of the morning. I am grumpy, I am SO sleepy, I am having trouble staying awake while I am reading the Scripture that I woke up early to read.

On Saturday morning, when I wanted to lounge in bed while Adam looked after Charlotte, he kicked me out of bed saying, "C'mon, you're a mom. You can't do this anymore!"

And he's right. Sleep is my idol.

Of course we depend on sleep. In his book, Humility, CJ Mahaney wrote that God gave us sleep and the desire for it so that we would be physically reliant and needing of rest, mirroring our reliablity on Him. We are weak in ourselves, and without the rest that He ultimately provides, we can do nothing. But our desire for sleep cannot rule over us. It cannot be something that consumes us; like our homes, children or husbands, this good thing can become an idol.

And I need to get control over it in my life right now. I'm a working mom, and I will probably not feel rested until June.

And God's grace is enough for that. So my prayer is that tomorrow morning, when I rise early to sit at Jesus' feet, His strength and not mine, will keep me awake during 1 Chronicles. Confess and repent of your idols today, even if on the surface, they are good things. Soli Deo Gloria.

Comments

  1. Hi Kathleen! I saw your comment over at A Wise Woman. You are not alone! I am a working Christian mom and my heart has always been at home. I too work in a school district where I have been able to help others (I am a psychologist) and my working outside of home has been the desire of my husband and has blessed my family. On and off it has been a struggle, but with God's help anything is possible! Blessings to you this day and 8 hours of sleep! :) Come visit my blog when you can! Steph.

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  2. You might find the following blogs of interest about C.J. Mahaney and the group he leads, Sovereign Grace Ministries:

    www.sgmsurvivors.com
    www.sgmrefuge.com

    They tell another side. Hope this helps.

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