Part 2 -Idolatry: When Good Things Become Idols

Welcome back to part two of our deep dive into idolatry! If you haven’t read the first part, I highly recommend going back to catch up before diving in. Trust me, it’ll give you the full context. But if you’re here, let’s get right into it.

As I mentioned before, idolatry is one of the sneakiest sins we face as believers. It’s not always obvious, and for many of us, it’s not even something we’re aware of because it wasn’t emphasized enough in the foundation of our faith. Most Christians today rely on being spoon-fed the Word instead of diving into the Bible to understand the heart of God for themselves.

Let me be blunt: many Christians are spiritually illiterate. We don’t study the Bible with the same intensity we’d study for a test or an important goal. Instead, we skate through our spiritual lives, letting emotions guide us, mistaking feelings for discernment. That’s why many of us struggle to grasp deep teachings or recognize the idols in our lives. We’ve become too comfortable drinking milk when we should be craving meat (Hebrews 5:12-14).

I know this might sting, but Proverbs 27:5 says, “Better is open rebuke than hidden love.” This isn’t judgment; it’s love. Growth doesn’t happen in comfort zones—it happens when we face hard truths. So, in the spirit of love and honesty, let me share two personal examples of idols God exposed and delivered me from: music and shopping.

1. Music: My Escape, My Obsession, My Idol

Anyone who knows me knows I love music. Not just a little—I’m talking hardcore devotion. I could tell you the history of genres, name-drop artists from different eras, and recite lyrics like scripture. Music was my answer to everything. Sad? Music. Happy? Music. Working out? Music. Sitting around? You guessed it—music.

But here’s the problem: instead of turning to God in prayer or seeking His presence, I turned to music to fill every emotional gap. I spent hours listening to music but barely gave God 15 minutes of my day. I claimed the Lord was King, even had Bible verses on my Instagram, but my actions screamed otherwise.

The content of the music was another issue. I was a die-hard hip-hop fan—Nas, J. Cole, Drake, Lupe Fiasco—you name it. I was obsessed, not in a fangirl way, but in a “this feeds my soul” way. Yet, as God convicted me, I realized the lyrics I consumed promoted things that gratify the flesh: fornication, lust, materialism, and pride. Galatians 6:7-8 couldn’t be clearer: “Whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption.”

Even worse, music became a tool for sin in my life. Before engaging in sexual acts, I’d turn to “baby-making” music to set the mood. Those lyrics and melodies fueled desires that led me further from God. How could I claim to follow Christ while filling my mind with things that glorified sin?

The turning point came when God revealed the stronghold music had over my life. I had to surrender it completely—not just the time I spent on it but the content I allowed into my spirit. It wasn’t easy, but Matthew 16:24-25 reminded me, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.” I had to let go of the idol of music to truly follow Him.

2. Shopping: My “Innocent” Obsession

Let’s talk about shopping. If music was my emotional escape, shopping was my guilty pleasure. I loved buying new things—clothes, shoes, you name it. My closet was full of items with tags still on them because I was always “preparing” for the next event.

At first, I didn’t think much of it. Shopping felt harmless. But as I grew closer to God, He started convicting me. I realized I was spending hours browsing websites, searching for the perfect outfit, while barely spending any time in prayer or reading the Word.

Then came the financial conviction. When I reviewed my spending, I saw that shopping was my biggest expense—even more than giving to the poor or advancing God’s kingdom. Yes, I was a faithful tither, but my spending habits revealed where my heart truly was. Jesus reminds us in Matthew 6:21:

“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

Shopping wasn’t just consuming my time—it was consuming my heart. My spending habits revealed where my heart truly was—on myself, not on God.

How God Transformed Me

God, in His endless grace, helped me lay down these idols at His feet. When it came to music, I hit pause on songs that didn’t lift Him high and started soaking my spirit in worship. Let me tell you, there’s nothing like filling your spirit with songs that pull you into His presence—it’s life-changing!

And shopping? Whew, that one hit deep. I had to check my heart and set some serious boundaries. I decided my time with God would always outweigh my time shopping—no contest. I even embraced seasons of no shopping altogether to train my heart to desire Him more. Instead of indulging in more stuff, I began redirecting my resources. Proverbs 19:17 became my compass: "Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord."

This changed the game for me. Giving to the poor and investing in God’s kingdom took first place in my finances. Shopping? That got bumped way down the priority list. Because let’s be real—what we give the most of our time, treasure, and attention reveals what sits on the throne of our hearts.

It’s not about never enjoying things—it’s about making sure He is always first. What’s taking precedence in your life?

Idols don’t always look like golden statues or blatant sins. They can be things as subtle as music, shopping, or even relationships. Anything that takes more of your heart, time, or devotion than God is an idol.

What Are Your Idols?

Maybe your idol isn’t music or shopping. It could be video games, sports, your career, or even good things like marriage or children. Yes, even God’s gifts can become idols if we worship them more than the Giver.

I challenge you to take a hard look at your life. What’s stealing your time, attention, and devotion from God? Ask Him to reveal the idols in your heart and give you the grace to surrender them. Remember, true growth and transformation come when we deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Him wholeheartedly.

God doesn’t expose our idols to condemn us—He does it to free us. Let this be your wake-up call to lay down every idol and give Him your whole heart.