Kicking Idols to the Curb

It’s an hour past
the first chirp of my alarm and
I’m still hiding under my covers.

I don’t want to face the day.

I don’t want to hear Jillian Michaels bark at me from the DVD
because I’m bloated from a late night Mexican food binge.

I dread the looming project deadline and
piles of laundry and
sink full of dirty dishes.

I don’t want to face today because
I have too much to manage and not enough …

Not enough
patience for a tough conference call later today.

Not enough
energy to attack my endless to do list.

Not enough
money for this month’s bills.

So I hide under my covers and keep hitting the snooze button
as I beg God to
help me,
fix me,
save me,
stretch my time and money …
to be my God today.

Do you do that?

Hide …
Hoping the the rapture is today,
or someone drops off a time warp machine,
or that a money tree pops up on the porch.

Without a miracle,
I’m STUCK!

So I hide and worry and stay under the covers
talking to God about all the things that are
too overwhelming to face.

And then the epiphany!
The heavenly revelation!

I have made idols
out of my schedule,
my bank statement, and
the projects on my to-do list.

An idol is anything
that usurps God
at the forefront of my thoughts.

If I am worried about money
or consumed with thoughts of bitterness
or preoccupied with fears
I have replaced God in my mind and heart.

Can I get an OUCH?

I always thought of idols as things like
greed or
power or
fame.
Maybe a person or a possession,
but I never saw
worry,
fear or
bitterness
as idols.

This morning, as I hid under the covers
begging God for a miracle and
willing Jesus to come back today,
the Holy Spirit whispered in my ear,

“I’m here.
I’ll be your God if you let me.
Just be still and know I am here.
Know that I am your God.”

So, I lay there listening to his whispers.

“You are loved.”
“You are not alone.”
“You can trust me.”

The gloom and despair and
feelings of being overwhelmed lifted.

Though I made God less than,
He makes me believe for more.

He fills me with Himself and
coaxes me out of my bedcover cocoon,
ready to face my day with his help.

He didn’t rapture me.
He didn’t multiply my time or
drop off a pile of cash.

Nor did he pile on condemnation
guilt or
shame.

He loved me.
and
He was with me.

God conquered my overwhelm with his Presence.

In response,
I can face today with
His strength,
His creativity,
His patience.

The Bible verse from Philippines 4:13 that says,
For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength, (NLT)
takes on new meaning.

God is my
strength and sustenance.

I am enough,
have enough,
can do enough
because

He is my More Than Enough.

What about you?
How does God reveal his plans or encouragement to you?