Maneuvers - No. 75
The Idol
of Success
Faithful One, this fast-paced culture of ours just doesn’t let up.
Do you ever reach the end of the day feeling completely spent—but still not satisfied? As if, despite all your hard work, you still didn’t accomplish everything you wanted to?
It’s a defeating feeling. Isn’t it? Especially when we feel the pressure from all around us (and within us, too), telling us to go faster, push harder, do more. More, more, more.
But in the frenzy of trying to tick off every box on our to-do list and reach every goal written in our journals, we miss something. Something small… something still… the voice of God whispering to our hearts, calling us closer, inviting us to fall on him and trust in him.
That gentle voice is also calling us to lay down our idols today and make him our one and only. He’s already given us all of himself—now, he wants all of us, too.
What idols are we holding onto today and what fuels our striving? Is it a hunger for success, approval, self-righteousness, or self-worth? Do we need to feel loved and adored? Have we begun to trust our own dreams more than we trust our Jesus?
These are the kinds of questions we may be asking ourselves as we read Holy Spirit’s words today. And if we lay down our defenses and answer honestly, it can lead us into a deeper, more authentic, and more satisfying relationship with the Lord.
So let’s open our hearts to receive this week’s FLAG Message…
01.
The Message
“Where are you, son? Where are you, daughter? Where are you running? Why does the pace need to be so fast? Why do you pretend to know which way to go? Why are you desperate to find a way forth that is forged in your own strength? Why do you forget you are small—and yet you are strong and protected and safe in me?
“Do not try to achieve self-reliance, a way through problems without asking me for wisdom. Do not believe you are alone, orphaned and rejected. Do not believe that strength comes from lack of adversity—and that you are lacking something—intelligence, provision, luck—when things don’t go the way you thought they should. Who are you to decide how things should go? Why does it appeal to you to chase a certain outcome—the one outcome you feel is the only one to desire—so that you exhaust your energy as you expend hours and effort to make it come true?
“Do you recognize the idol? The idol of success? Do you recognize the cost? The pain you experience (but so easily ignore) in the unending pursuit of dreams I never gave you? Why do you dream outside of my dreams? Why do you not trust in my own?
“Are they not big enough for you? Are they not of worth that counts? What if my dreams were the only dreams you chased? What if my dreams for you were the only ones you desired? Would the air feel different to you then? Would the sky look the same? Would your own face be one you recognized? Would your days, your minutes, be a balm, an experience of being with me—rather than the fire of doubt burning a hole in your spirit, your mind, your heart?
“Let my dreams burn in you instead of the efforts of fear and anxiety and striving. Relax into my peace now. Surrender into my pace. It is good here. It is a sure rhythm of living—trusting in my goodness rather than running around to find what can never be found, what the world can never offer nor give: love, satisfaction, joy, contentment of your soul. I am yours, you know. All yours. I am here, your solid place, your rock, your Dad, your Brother, your King, your Counselor, your Friend.
“Be rescued now. Over and over again. As I release you from bondage—the bondage of chasing what is not yours to chase. And as I give you what is mine to give: all of me. Please, give me all of you.”
02.
Listen
What line or lines from this week’s message are speaking the most to you? Write them down in your journal and take a few minutes to reflect on them. What’s your response to Holy Spirit’s words? Let’s write it down in the form of a prayer.
03.
Think
“Stop striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted on the earth” (Psalm 46:10, NASB).
1. In what areas have you been relying on your own grit and wisdom instead of relying on God’s? What past experiences taught you to trust in self-reliance?
2. How do you need God to rescue you right now? What bondages do you believe he wants to break in your life?
3. Look up three Scripture passages about idols. What is Holy Spirit telling you personally through these passages? What is he leading you to surrender? How is he calling you closer to him right now?
04.
Trust
The Bible has a lot to say about idolatry. And yet it’s easy to read biblical passages about idols and think, I don’t bow down to pagan altars. I’m not sacrificing animals or burning incense to another god. That must mean I don’t struggle with idolatry like people did back then.
But what is an idol? Could it be simply anything we trust in more than we trust in God or anything we place higher value on than we do him? Could it be anything we put our soul’s hope and faith in besides the cross?
Our idols may not look like statues. But what if they look like financial security, pleasure, success, others’ approval of us, or even our own dreams?
No matter what our idols look like, they all have one thing in common—we use them to try to satisfy a need that only Jesus can fill. And striving to meet that need ourselves only leaves us empty, hungry, and feeling alone.
And yet the Bible says of our heavenly Father, “You open your hand; you satisfy the desire of every living thing” (Psalm 145:16, ESV). When we let God satisfy our needs, we are full, lacking nothing.
In this week’s message, Holy Spirit said:
“Let my dreams burn in you instead of the efforts of fear and anxiety and striving. Relax into my peace now. Surrender into my pace. It is good here. It is a sure rhythm of living—trusting in my goodness rather than running around to find what can never be found, what the world can never offer nor give: love, satisfaction, joy, contentment of your soul. I am yours, you know. All yours. I am here, your solid place, your rock, your Dad, your Brother, your King, your Counselor, your Friend.”
Can we read that paragraph again—this time slowly, hanging on every word? What does each word say to you? How does it move you, convict you, encourage you, lift you up?
Now, let’s pull out our journals and ask the Lord, “What need am I trying to fill with the idol of success and self-reliance? How do you want to meet that need for me instead?” Whatever Holy Spirit shows us—even if it seems small—let’s write it down.
05.
Pray
Lord, I confess where I’ve relied on my own efforts and wisdom to get me through life. Forgive me for making an idol of success and for striving to satisfy a need that I was never meant to fill.
Only you can meet that need in me, God. And I so need you. Right now, I let go of striving… of my dreams that don’t align with yours… of control over my efforts and my schedule. I give it to you, God—it’s yours now.
Come and fill my heart with your presence. Teach me how to rely on you for every little need in my life. Guard my heart from idols and satisfy me with your love. Oh, Lord, I love you.
In Jesus’ name, amen.
Waving the banner with you,
