Throughout my life, I have learned that I am an extremely passionate person. I don't like to do anything halfway. Whatever I decide to do, I commit to it completely. I mean like ALL of my time to whatever is my current fad. (This is partially fueled by competitiveness and wanting to the best.)
For many years, I was passionate about sports. Every free minute I had was spent running, kicking the soccer ball around, or shooting baskets with my brothers. I would not stop practicing until I beat my personal record, started on whatever team I was on, or was captain of the team. And then I got injured. Not an "you'll be better in 6 week" injury. It was an injury that I am still dealing with and will have to for.... ever. God stopped me right in my tracks (literally) and made me realize that I had turn this passion into an idol. I had turned a completely innocent and harmless joy into a sinful distraction.
After I was injured, I was not allowed to compete in sports for a while, so I started working. I started out at a restaurant where I did not fit in. It was a locally owned sports bar where I was the hostess. The only server who remembered my name was my sister and the other hostesses and I butt heads a lot. I thought for sure that I would not have a problem with this becoming an idol in my life. And then I switched jobs. I started working the Marriott's restaurant where it was much more classy and the staff and I just clicked. My job itself was rather boring, but I started to love the money it came with and the people I got to see at work. I started working a lot! I'm talking 6 days a week (I didn't work on Sundays or it probably would have been 7). Every day after school I would run home to change and head to the Marriott. I had friends start to call me a workaholic. And finally it clicked in my head, CRAP! Sure enough, I had made another innocent act into my sinful idol.
Well, then I was off to college. I wouldn't be doing sports and I didn't have a job. I loved my major, but not enough to make it into my idol. I was absolutely positive that I was in the clear. And two years later, I am just now realizing what "passion" of mine has been turned into idols. It was not a physical act, it was not anything physical at all... It wasn't even certain people. It was a feeling, a comfort, really. It was friendships....
Being in a dorm setting, I was surrounded by people, "friends", literally, 24 hours a day and 7 days a week. I dove into many different friendship head first, holding nothing back. I was sure (even after being warned) that these were true friendships that were gonna last as life time. I became obsessed with the idea of being so close to so many different girls. I spent all my time with them. When we weren't together, we were all texting and calling each other. I did not go a single day truly apart from them. Even through the summer, I visited many of them and made sure I talked to everyone at least once a week. I was so invested in these "friendships" I would have told anyone that asked that I was truly passionate about my friends, but the truth of the matter was, I had made friendships into my idol.
I was relying on these friendships to make me happy. I was set of them bringing me joy when I should have been looking in a completely different place for that. Only once they failed me, did I realize that they are going to fail me sometimes. Because that's just what idols do. They are sinful and distracting. I'm not saying that friendships are wrong by any means! They can only be harmful if you put all your hopes into them and solely rely on them instead of God.
The truth of the matter is, idols will not satisfy you! Maybe temporarily, but there will come a time when they disappoint. Not just in friendships, sports failed me when I was limited to no running. Idols will never fulfill whatever desire that you have. You may think that you are full, but one day, you will realize that you are very very empty in these idols, just like my friendships.
Don't forget who brings you joy. Don't forget what truly satisfies you. And take an honest look at your "passions" and make sure that you aren't changing them into your idols, because they can be taken from innocent to sinful very quickly. Trust me.
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