Cast Out Idols and Seek Freedom in Jesus Christ

As a youngster, I never gave much thought to how things happen or how my decisions might cause great harm. I trusted my parents to love and protect me, and I followed their guidance and advice without question. As I grew older, I started to challenge their ideas and advice. I started thinking for myself and loudly voicing my opinions - maybe you can relate? More than once, my mother said, "You're getting too big for your britches", meaning that I clearly overstepped boundaries in an immature, unwise and disrespectful way.

The Rocky Road to Maturity

Reading, studying, and learning from others helps us grow into maturity. Thinking for yourself about these new ideas can be a critical aspect to personal growth. However, there will be bumps on that road. Sometimes, too much undeveloped, immature thinking that disregards parental accountability can lead to a wrong turn in life. And guess what? Shallow, short-sighted, rebellious thinking can become a landing place for the evil one - enter disobedience, sin, and big trouble!

I realized too late that I had stepped outside parental accountability into uncharted and dangerous territory. At my first real summer job, I met a boy and fell in love. We dated for a little over a year, still both children by anyone's standards at the ripe old age of 19. Shortly after my sophomore year in college, we told my parents that we were getting married. No jobs, no place to live, and so short-sighted! But my parents allowed the betrothal and marriage, and off we went into wedded bliss.

Not quite! Enter more idols beyond the initial idol of rebellion. Stubbornness, striving, performance, fear, lack, bitterness, anger, and resentment. Not a good combination for any marriage, but especially young twenty-somethings. So then, how does this pattern of rebellion against parents, ignoring the Lord, and the deliberate path of disobedience push us further down the path of self-righteousness?

In hindsight and many years later into adulthood, I now have clarity. As newlyweds and beyond, we went down the road of rebellion and stopped along the way to pick up self-righteousness, anger and bitterness. We never let go of immaturity and competition. We topped off our lives with a heavy dose of performance, always striving in our own strength to outperform the other. We never thought to pray to the Lord for His guidance or to seek His wisdom. We thought we knew it all and that we were free from accountability and parental control.

What a mess! Can anyone relate?

Then, we continued to worship the idol of self on a shaky platform of self-righteous indulgence. We failed to seek advice from parents, a pastor, or older married friends. Tragically, this marriage with one young child, ended in divorce. As a pastor friend once said, divorce is not like a bullet. Instead, it's like a nuclear bomb, blowing up the stability of relationships with family and friends that once surrounded you. Pain, sorrow, anger, hurt, bitterness, resentment, and no prayer or relationship with the Lord. A rocky road of self-indulgence.

A. W. Tozer shared a quote about this issue: Idols vs. Christ - The labor of self-love is a heavy one indeed. Think whether much of your sorrow has not arisen from someone speaking slightingly of you. As long as you set yourself up as a little god to which you must be loyal, how can you hope to find inward peace?"** Yes, doing things my way reaped heavy-duty negative consequences.

You need Jesus!

Years later, I learned that my parents, my paternal grandmother, and a dear close friend prayed for me as a prodigal during these difficult times. The message was clear: You need Jesus! Family and friends stood by me as I walked through ugly days, through my unbelief, through a prodigal return to the Lord and to my parents. And thanks be to our Heavenly Father, I walked the painful journey back through restoration. Interestingly, I found my way back to Jesus and our heavenly Father through my teenage son's friend. Our Father will make a way when you are willing and obedient. Indeed!

Transformation is possible!

I can honestly say that I fully embrace Paul's words to the Corinthians: "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; Behold, all things have become new." (2 Corinthians 5:17, NKJV) And while I am still on the journey to healing and wholeness, I have peace knowing that there is true freedom in obedience to our Heavenly Father. I know that I will be on my journey to healing until Christ returns.

Freedom through Obedience

I learn more each day about the importance of obedience, keeping my eyes on the Lord, spending time with Him in prayer, reading His Word, maintaining close fellowship with a small circle of believers - yes, walking with accountability in Christ. I learned the hard way that true freedom only exists in obedience to the One who sets us free! Another truth penned by A.W. Tozer sums up this idea: "The Bible recognizes no faith that does not lead to obedience, nor does it recognize any obedience that does not spring from faith. The two are at opposite sides of the same coin."**

Questions for Reflection:

1. Is there an area in your life where you need to let go of self and let the Lord heal?

2. What are some ways you can grow in obedience to the Lord? How will this growth shape your faith journey?

3. Tozer stated that "It is altogether doubtful whether any man can be saved who comes to Christ for His help with no intention to obey Him."** How does this idea impact your thinking?