Who is this person?

Ever have one of those eye-opening experiences where you see yourself as you really are? I’ve had several lately. God keeps dropping circumstances and people into my life to show me who I really am. It’s really not very pretty. At this point of my life when I should be well grounded and rooted, I find that I am a miserable failure at living my life in a way that consistently points to God through loving people. What caused this analysis you might ask (and rightly so if you want to avoid running into the same problem as I have)? Several things, but it is all coming to a head as I read (and attempt to lead) a study by Kelly Minter called No Other Gods. The goal of the book is to confront the modern-day idols that women today have embraced. Minter challenges women to identify the idols/gods we serve. Sounds easy enough for any Christian to do—after all, we claim to serve the one, true God—but what we often fail to realize are the other, little ‘g’ gods we serve with our time, our talent, and our resources. They can be obvious or subtle, but they are there, and if we don’t take the time to root them out, we will become like the children of Israel in the Old Testament—laid low in the wilderness, as the idols take the place of God in our lives. As I prepared to lead the discussion for the first week’s lessons, the verses in I Cor. 10: 1-14 really spoke to me. The Israelites wandered in the desert for 40 years, and many of them died there, which by the way, I don’t want to do! Twice in this passage, we are told “these things happened as examples for us” (vs. 6 & 11). That tells me to pay attention to why the Israelites were laid low in the desert:

1. They were idolaters who “sat down to eat and drink, and stood up to play” (vs. 7, NASB). It was all about their flesh and pleasing it.
2. They acted immorally (and 23K died in ONE day—vs. 8). They went against God’s way and chose their own instead.
3. They tried the Lord (and were destroyed by serpents—vs. 9). They severely tested God’s patience after He delivered them by being ungrateful.
4. They grumbled (and were destroyed by the destroyer—vs. 10). They rejected His provision for them.

Immediately following this sobering list, Paul offers the Corinthians the following warning: “Therefore, let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall” (vs. 12). He follows this up with a powerful verse that basically states that nothing has tempted us that hasn’t tempted many others just like us and that our faithful God will always provide a way to stand up to the temptations we face—otherwise we would have no hope to overcome them (vs. 13). The last verse of this focus section gives another stern warning to flee from idolatry (vs. 14). Towards the end of the chapter (vs. 31), Paul reminds the people that whatever they do, they are to do it for the glory of God. So . . . as I examine myself and the false gods I have inadvertently followed, I begin to see myself as God sees me, and there’s little glory there for Him. The unvarnished truth is not pretty, but there is hope for change as I acknowledge the truth, repent, and go back to the Word and push the reset button. Bear with me. I’m a work in progress.