but I am addicted to ministry, relationships, investments, health management, and toys (cars/motorcycles). A missionary friend wrote in his prayer letter about a new addiction to a computer game. “I found myself thinking about the game continuously — when I first woke up, in quiet moments throughout my day, and when I went to sleep at night. The game was filling the empty spaces between activities, dominating my thought life.”
AHA, I do the very same thing, with thoughts about ministry, relationships, investments, health management, and toys. Looking to these areas, instead of Jesus, to provide me with LIFE: this gives me something to look forward to, gives me reasons for living. Satan could not be more pleased, that I place good things like these, on a par with Jesus, or worse, above Jesus at times, gauged by the intensity with which I ponder, research, explore in my areas of idolatry. Not bad things; all good things; but competing with Jesus for my affections.
Only shepherds have idolatry problems. Sheep are too stupid for such things, and are happy enough just to be cared for by their shepherd, and experience a joy and peace that ought to make stressed-out shepherds envious.
–ShepherdDave, needing prayer to embrace being DumbSheepDave, enjoying his ShepherdJesus more than he enjoys feeling good about himself through other strategies, so the pre-believers around him will be wowed and want his ShepherdJesus for themselves
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