I recently read the book Counterfeit Gods by Timothy Keller. I enjoyed Counterfeit Gods because I, like many Christians, struggle to find complete satisfaction in God alone and I wrestle with idols in my own life. Keller asks the question "Have [we] learned to trust God alone, to love God for himself, not just for what [we] can get out of God?" It's a convicting question. Keller makes the observation that we become like what we worship. If Jesus isn't the most important thing in our lives and we aren't worshiping him, then we will become like the other things in our lives that we worship: our idols.
To give you a very brief synopsis of the book, Keller says that "the human heart takes good things like a successful career, love, material possessions, even family, and turns them into ultimate things." We turn those things into the center of our lives thinking they can give us significance, security, safety and fulfillment." So really, anything at all can be an idol. What makes it even more challenging is the fact that we tend to think that idols are only bad things. But we often create idols out of good things, and Keller asserts that the "greater the good, the more likely we are to expect that it can satisfy our deepest needs and hopes. Anything can serve as a counterfeit god, especially the very best things in life."
I would encourage you to get a copy of Counterfeit Gods. I think it will prove to be a convicting but rewarding read.
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