I was just smacked left, then right, then flipped over-my-head, upside-down. I was in the middle of blogging about anxiety and idolatry when I stumbled across this post on your blog. The HS is doing a number on me. First, the Lord reveals my anxiety and convicts me of my present idols. Next, I’m blogging about it. Then, all of the sudden, He shows me how I need to be looking to His future grace and not hounding in on the grace I have already received.

Needless to say, I am a very confused little Christian right now. It’s a balancing act in which I will never be successful apart from Christ. I think I just did a whirlwind back to grace. Well, now I’m just rambling in an effort to make some sense of my thoughts. If you’ve read this far, your prayers are welcome

“I will continue to work out my salvation with fear and trembling, but the working out part does not get me more of the blood. I am already in Christ. I am already covered with grace. God sees Jesus over me.”

As a professed self-introspective person who eres on the side of focusing on my depravity without grace (and a lot of needless “shoulds”), thank you for this reminder.

Things that look “good” from the outside (such as searching out idols) can be so sneaky in driving us away from Jesus. I know for me it has sucked the joy out of my life and when that happens I cease to enjoy God or the blessings He gives. I am now (hopefully!) coming out of a season like that.

Resting in Christ, trusting His grace, having His peace is a wonderful thing, one I hope we all experience more and more of.

I came upon your site from Keisha’s site! I like your thoughts on the subject of idolatry. Your right in that it is not necessary to continuously look for the idols of our heart. If people are stuck in that then they have missed the truth altogether. I have seen that only God’s spirit can reveal the idols in our lives, with the result being the ultimate revelation of self-idolatry. I think it is necessary for a season to feel that honest despair in order to fix our eyes rightly on Jesus, not Jesus + something.
I think like you said so many think if they find an idol they will be fixed and so it becomes a mechanical process that totally lacks the power of God.
But true repentance must involve recognition of our honest condition. It’s a difficult subject especially when dealing with people who fall into despair due to lack of an understanding of God’s deep love for his people.
I think the story of Gideon(Judges 6)is a great example on this subject.

There has to be the balance of understanding that we are covered by the blood of Christ, but we are also called to go and sin no more. We will fail sometimes and forgivness is there, which brings freedom but we can’t cling to worthless idols and forsake grace (Jonah 2:8) that would allow us to grow in knowledge of Him.

But your right, done with the wrong motives it is abuse and self-atonement. That is why discerning the truth is important.

Anyhow just my thoughts on a subject I enjoy discussing.

I am glad I found your blog, I am not too blog-savvy, but I really appreciate people’s thoughts and being able to participate!

Hope to see you around MH soon! Love, Amy