In the Word of God idols are defined as an image or phantom. In ancient times idols were an actual physical replica of a god. In the New Testament idolatry is associated with sexual sin, evil desires, and covetousness. I think idols are anything which consumes your life other than God.
I was talking with a dear friend of mine the other day and I was telling him about my novel. I was concerned because in my novel I use a name very similar to his name and I was thinking that the plot line may hit too close to home for him. I do not intend to hurt anyone through my novel, least of all him. I had mentioned to him that the mother of my main character had lost a child to Sudden Infant Death and she had idolized this child in life and also in death.
This friend of mine had also lost a son to death and I was very concerned that the similarity could possibly bring him more pain. He reassured me that he would be honored to have his name mentioned in my book and he would take no offence.
The conversation blossomed from that point on into one of imparting wisdom. This man had been severely depressed when I first met him. I know the demon of depression very well. My mother has been depressed for the majority of her life and depression is an easy default for me to gravitate to. I mentioned to my friend that when he was depressed, his depression had become an idol for him. He had never thought of it like that. I told him, “You woke up with thoughts of depression, you ate with depressive thoughts and you went to bed in tears. That is what an idol does. It completely eclipses the presence of God.”
He is no longer depressed. When I first met him I refused to bow down to his idol. I instead made him laugh. I loved visiting him and enjoyed every moment I spent with him. One day he was talking suicide because of a broken relationship with his daughter. I told him “that he was a good man no matter what his daughter thought.” Somehow God used those words to break the bondage of depression and the Lord set him free.
He is the most wonderful and joy filled person I know today. The idol has been destroyed and he radiates joy. I had no idea that God could do such a work through me. I have tried for many years to help my Mother break free from her idols and have been unsuccessful. This man was begging for God to release Him and God was gracious enough to do so.
We may be deceived for a short time thinking that idols are fulfilling our needs and making our lives complete. It is important that we examine ourselves closely to see which idols are obscuring our vision of God; for the idols which do so have one goal in mind and that is to destroy us.
