Meet My Idol
It's not a celebrity
You shall have no other gods beside me. (Exodus 20:3, NIV)
I have an idol in my life. My idolatry gets in the way of my time with God, my devotion to Him, and my surrender to His plans for my life.
You see, my idol is productivity.
an idol is “anything more important to you than God, anything that absorbs your heart and imagination more than God…” Tim Keller
Productivity is what I strive for every single day, even on weekends. Write the list, enter schedules in the planner, check off my accomplishments. Sometimes, I report my happy check marks to others. Quite proudly, too. It’s what they expect of me, after all.
Admittedly, I have much to do. Settling my husband’s estate, managing the household (me and two dogs), and keeping up with my writing and publishing tasks can fill my days.
At times, I realize that it’s nearly dinner time and I’ve yet to read God’s word.
My weekly planner is no golden calf (Exodus 32), but I bow to its (my) precepts as though my plans are golden. Don’t get me wrong. I do pray about my goals and ask for His guidance in organizing and executing these things. He has plans for me too and tuning into His plans is my daily goal. Well, except on those days I’m scurrying around getting my stuff done.
Here’s the truth, though. I know He cheers for our success. He’s the author of it, let’s not forget. But our success comes at a cost. Some may find the cost too high, others may think it’s not that steep.
That cost is the time it takes to keep our eyes on Him and His word… while meditating day and night.
This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night. (Joshua 1:8, NIV)
We are cherished and chosen creatures. We are valuable to Him, no matter how productive we are. Recognizing this, we more easily see ourselves as He sees us, and we can walk towards that vision of what our lives are meant to be.
Stop settling for an ordinary life
Let’s “settle” instead for the extraordinary things God has in store for us!
It would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak… like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased. ~C. S. Lewis
I want to remain a productive person. Laziness is not in my nature. But… I have a purpose set by God. That is where my heart should be engaged every day.
And what if I am being far too easily pleased? What if He has even bigger things for me?
What about you? Will you join me in a prayer for His guidance?
Dearest Father, You are perfectly wise. I ask for your guidance as I approach my daily work. Help me find Your fingerprints on my plans. May my success glorify only You. Amen.