Due to the fast pace of modern life, it can be challenging to identify our personal idols. We rarely take time to stop and think, meditate, and ask God to search and sift our hearts by his Word (Psalm 139:23).
It might be surprising to the average Christian how much is revealed when we take an hour to honestly reflect. We will begin to see red flags and problem areas in our lives, and these are not a cause for discouragement, but for open confession of sin before God (c.f. WCF 15.5; 1689 LCF 15.4).
In order to diagnose idols of the heart, it is important to reflect on certain questions:
1. What do I think I need to be content with my life?
2. What do I think about most when I have time to think?
3. Where does my mind naturally roam? What do you check first on your phone?
4. What do my habits tell me about my vision of the “good life”?
5. Apart from work and worship, what to I devote my time to during the week?
6. What am I routinely frustrated by during the week? Is there something that I get frustrated by daily?
7. When was I happiest last week, and when was I most discouraged? Why?
8. What do I worry about losing the most?
9. What do I complain about most? If I routinely grumble, what do I grumble about the most?
10. What do I spend my money on? What do I think about first when I make more money than expected?
Idols are secret loves, hidden trusts, and time-grabbers. We sometimes need to fish them out of the depths of our hearts where they stay hidden.
Christians of varying ages will answer these questions differently.
For example, a teenage girl may think that what she needs to be most content with life is a boyfriend, popularity, or a smart phone. When checking her phone, she may be consumed with the amount of interaction she gets on Instagram. She believes that the “good life” is comprised of the validation she receives from others. She devotes her time to selfies and convincing other people that she is happy. She is deflated by posts that get less interaction. She wants followers. She was happiest last week when with her friends. When she has money to spend, she spends it on new clothes and shoes. She routinely complains about her parents.
If this girl took the time to meditate on her life, she would recognize how spiritually unhealthy she is Though she may attend church and genuinely profess faith in Christ, she does not see how many heart-idols are clogging her attention and affections. There is very little possibility of change unless she takes time to think hard about her life and ask God to change her.
In a similar fashion, consider an an older man preparing for retirement. In his spare time he might check the stock market and his account balances. He feels deflated when the economy looks like it’s going to capsize. When he is not at work, most of his time is spent watching sports. He believes that he will finally be content when he retires and has more time for himself. He routinely grumbles about his boss. He worries about not having enough money to last through retirement. All extra money made is placed directly into his retirement account to ensure his (and his wife's) happiness for the future.
If this older man took the time to meditate on his heart-idols, he would see some deep spiritual problems that need addressing. He may indeed be a genuine Christian who gives faithfully to the church and loves his wife and family, but until he thinks and then confesses his sin particularly, there is actually little possibility of change.
What about a pastor?
A pastor might subtly believe that his contentment rests upon a growing church (numbers). He frequently checks how many people are listening to his sermons. He is frustrated by members of the church who don’t appreciate his teaching. He routinely grumbles about the congregation to his wife. He is dissatisfied with the amount of money he receives from the church. When a popular pastor retires, he relishes the thought of what it would be like to be his successor. Many hours of his time are spent on X, where he can insidiously judge other men based on their posts. On a particularly tough and busy week, he is irritable with his family.
Here’s the reality. If this pastor simply took the time to think for a few moments about the direction of his life and ministry it would show him his unhealthy and idolatrous sense of entitlement, jealousy, and arrogance.
And that’s the point.
Sometimes we need a good diagnostic check-up on our spiritual health. What we will find, is that idols of the heart are revealed through such concentrated, meditative thought. And it is precisely these things that need to be particularly confessed before God, that he might change us, and help us to trust in him alone. Simply put, we must “take heed to our ways” (Psalm 39:1).
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