The word "idol" isn't something we usually think about. Nor do we ever really believe that we have idols of our own. I mean, we can easily recognize the presence of idols in other peoples' lives, but when it comes to our own, we aren't too willing to admit anything.

An idol can be described as something that is the center of your life, the most important thing to you, the thing that gives you identity, meaning and significance. But how do we figure out what we idolize?

We also need to clarify that an idol is different from something that we are passionate about or even something that we admire. There’s nothing wrong with admiring a person’s skill or success. But, when does healthy admiration or fervent passion become idolizing?

I think a simple way of figuring it out is to take a second, take a timeout, and think about what you think about. I guess you could say that an idol is what consumes your thoughts. What do you start thinking about when you wake up? What do you think about during the day and when you are lying down in bed and you can’t fall asleep?

As humans we easily idolize. That's because we were made to worship. The true question, though, is WHAT do we worship? And after thinking about it, I believe there are four things we can worship in our lives:

1. We can worship someone else. You see it in celebrities, sports, movies and music stars. We see it in religious and political leaders. America is definitely known for the people we idolize.

2. We can worship something. It can be an activity like school or sports or it can be tangible, like money. That usually is a big one. It can also be intangible, like success, the desire to be accepted or to make sure everyone likes you. Its these things that consume us, drive our decisions, and make us worry.

3. We can worship ourselves. This happens when we are the center of our own universe. We feel like it’s all up to ourselves. The number one person to get me through everything that comes in my way will be me. I can only trust myself and it’s up to me to make my worth and to make my value in life.

4. We can worship God. This happens when we recognize that there are many things beyond our control, things we can’t do on our own. Its recognizing that God is in control, not me. It’s recognizing that God deserves my praise, my time and thoughts, not only because of who He is, but because he cares about you and values you more than you could ever imagine.

The problem with the first three, is that we will always be disappointed by them. We don't need Tiger Woods to remind us that no one is perfect and everyone makes mistakes. And when we chase after things, tangible or intangible, we’ll always find out that they aren’t fulfilling.

So, this week I want you to answer two questions. First, what occupies your thoughts? Take a second to think about what you think about. And second, who or what are you worshiping/idolizing?
Because we were made to worship, but WHAT we worship makes all the difference.

-Eric Kuehl

Make sure to check out pics from last Monday and the Superbowl party below!