When Good Things Become Idols by Victor Mushimbami

When Good Things Become Idols

Introduction 

Someone recently asked me to write more deeply on a topic I’ve been teaching, how we often create our own idols, call them “God,” and worship them while ignoring the true and living God who has revealed Himself in the Bible. This teaching has really touched many people, especially after I shared a true story. I had preached to someone whose boss told all workers not to go to church for six months, only to focus on work. But before those six months ended, the boss got very sick and had been down for more than a month. That’s one of many examples of how God can deal with us when we put other things before Him.

The Danger of Divided Hearts

We live in a world full of distractions, family, work, money, school, and even ministry. These things are not bad in themselves, but when they take more of our time, attention, and love than God, they become idols. And God is very clear: He is a jealous God (Exodus 34:14). That means He wants all of us, not just a little, not just on Sunday, but first place in everything.

An idol doesn’t have to be a carved image. It can be anything that competes with God for our devotion. The Bible says our hearts are deceitful (Jeremiah 17:9), meaning we can convince ourselves that we’re doing something “for God,” even when we’ve placed that thing above Him.

When God Removed the Temple from Israel

One powerful example is found in Ezekiel 24:15–24. God told the prophet Ezekiel, “I am about to take away from you the delight of your eyes,” referring to Ezekiel’s wife. He was not even to mourn her death. Why? Because God was using it as a sign to Israel.

Israel had lifted up the temple above God Himself. Though they sinned and rebelled, they still trusted the building would save them. But their hearts were far from God. So God declared He would take away what they treasured most, the temple.

Even though it was once God’s house, it had become an idol to them. And so God allowed it to be destroyed, to show them that His presence is not found in buildings or rituals, but in a surrendered heart.

Abraham and Isaac: When Love Is Tested

Another deep lesson comes from Abraham and Isaac in Genesis 22. God gave Abraham a son through a promise, but after some time, God asked him to offer Isaac as a sacrifice.

This was not just a test of faith, it was also a test of love. Had Abraham begun to love Isaac more than God? Had the gift become more important than the Giver?

When Abraham obeyed, God stopped him and said, “Now I know that you fear God” (Genesis 22:12). This was like saying, “Now I know you love Me more than your son.”

Isaac was not taken away, but Abraham’s love was purified. Sometimes God allows hard situations not to punish us, but to purify our hearts and remind us who comes first.

Real-Life Testimonies: When Work Becomes a god

As I mentioned earlier, I once preached to someone whose boss made a rule: “No one should go to church for six months. Only work.” But before those six months even ended, the same boss became very sick and couldn’t work for over a month. God showed that He alone gives health and strength. When we remove Him from our lives, He can remove His hand of protection.

Sometimes, people say, “I don’t have time for church,” or “I’m too busy for house group or prayer meetings.” But while I was studying psychology, our professor gave us a very good example. A time management expert once tried to interview a woman who was always busy. She kept saying, “I don’t have time.”

But one day, her water pipe burst at home. Water was flowing everywhere and almost reached the electric cables. That same day, she found time to call a plumber and deal with the problem.

The expert then said, “We always make time for what is important.”

So, when we say we don’t have time for God, for church, for prayer, or for Christian fellowship, what we really mean is: “It’s not important to me right now.” But if your child was in danger, or your business was collapsing, you'd find time immediately.

The real question is: Is God important to us? If He is, we’ll make time.

When We Put Family Before God

Many homes today are broken, not because people never prayed, but because they put the home above God. Parents place children on a pedestal. Spouses worship each other. The house becomes more important than the God who builds it.

Psalm 127:1 says, “Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain.” If God is not at the center, everything else falls apart, no matter how much money or prayer we put in.

What God Wants: A Heart Fully Given

God doesn’t just want Sunday mornings or a few minutes of prayer. He wants all of us. Jesus said in Matthew 22:37, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.”

He even said in Matthew 10:37, “Anyone who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me.” That’s a strong statement. But it shows how serious God is about being first in our lives.

Time to Tear Down the Idols

What’s taking God’s place in your life?

Your work?

Your spouse?

Your child?

Your comfort?

Your phone or online time?

If it comes before God, it’s an idol. God is gracious, but He is also holy and jealous. If we don’t tear down the idol, He may remove it Himself, and that can be painful.

But there's always hope. If we repent, God receives us. And when we put Him first, everything else finds its proper place.

Let us give God what He deserves: the first place in everything, not just in words, but in how we spend our time, energy, and love.