Do you ever have those moments that it's like a lightbulb goes off in your brain and click! you wonder why you hadn't seen that before? Or click! why am I still doing this? Or click! what have I done? Or even, click! when did I put them on that pedestal?
I'm going to focus some on the that last one. The pedestal. We all have people that we think highly of. People that mean something to us. People who make us feel good about ourselves. People who we value their opinion. We all have them - and then there are the THINGS we put on a pedestal, like a statue on a stand. Look at this - see what we have? Whose opinion do we value above all others? Is it even our own opinion? Our own thoughts?
There was a young youth pastor who was gifted to serve the Lord and as hard as he tried, he always felt that he never measured up to the senior pastor's expectations of him. The more he tried, the more discouraged and beaten up he felt. Nothing he did seemed to be enough, to be good enough, and he even considered leaving the ministry.
But then, he had an 'AHA' moment. He realized that he had put this senior pastor in God's place; that he valued the senior pastor's words more than he did God's. He realized that in spite of what the Bible said, he was focused on what this senior pastor said. When he had his AHA moment, and realized what he had been doing, he confessed it and was able to find his joy in serving again. The stress and discouragement melted away. But it took him getting his eyes off his senior pastor's approval and back on to Jesus.
Many times that is what we have to do. We put our spouses on these pedestals as we value their opinions and because what they said made sense, we believe they are right. We put our children on these pedestals because we think they are perfect. (or we expect more of our children than they really can give, and in fact, destroying their self-image in the process). We put our friends - and even pastors - on pedestals because after all, look at them! They have made wise choices, they are happy, and everything seems to be going their way. The pastors hear from God so we tend to put them on a pedestal to be our intercessor. We do all these things.... and wonder where our AHA moment is.
The prodigal son had an AHA moment when he realized that he could be better off as a servant to his father than sitting there eating the pods fed to the pigs. The young pastor above had his AHA moment when he realized he had placed the senior pastor's opinion above God's.
Have you had an AHA moment? I'm sure I've had several, and I hope that I acted on them. I'm sure I've written about them in journals over the years. I remember one specifically.
I've always adored my little sister. She (in her younger years) was thin, beautiful, and quick-witted, funny and fun to be around. I never had any confidence in myself and so wanted to be like her. I wanted to be beautiful and funny. She was always doing fun things, men were falling all over her. Years past, and we grew closer; I moved out here and she married, divorced, remarried a couple times. We were always close.
Then I found Jesus. Or rather, He found me. I had the head-knowledge of Him all my life, but I never knew Him personally. I fell in love head over heels with Him. And my pedestals began to change. I realized how I had always wanted to be like my sister, to the point that if I bought myself something, I'd buy it for her. She did the same for me. When I realized what I had been doing, I wrote her a long letter and explained what had changed in me, and I apologized to her that I had her on this pedestal, telling her that we are our own person in Jesus; that I was wrong to want to be 'just like her', that Jesus was to be my example on how to live.
Needless to say, that did not go over well. The resulting response was the first of many letters that I have since received from her over the years. Letters of criticism (you were a horrible mother; you shouldn't be doing ..... you ..... ) were many times letters that drove me to tears and brokenness. I remember calling my mother over these letters and crying because I didn't understand where all this hatred and anger came from. We have since discussed that time and she said that her ego was crushed that I didn't want to be like her anymore.
But isn't that what we all do? We all have something that we put before God. We all have something that we run to instead of to God, when we have a problem, or issue, or just have too much time on our hands. We have made those things - whatever they are - our idols. It could even be our job. I remember being so focused on work years ago that I worked many hours a week, bringing work home to do, because my job seemed to be my life. So glad I woke up from that!
Our God is faithful. That is good news. He is our Champion. Giants fall when He stands undefeated. Every battle He has won. I am who He says I am. He crowns me with confidence, and I am seated in the heavenly places, undefeated, with the One who has conquered it all.
Sit back and think about it. Maybe your AHA moment is there to be discovered. Jesus has given you the authority to move those idols off that pedestal and restore your hope, your life, in Him. He truly is our Champion.
You are who He says you are. By the power of His Name, you are undefeated. Knock down those idols and those things you placed on that pedestal. Put Jesus back in His rightful place. In your heart, in your mind, in your soul.
Praying that your AHA will reveal .............. things that will open your life to all that Jesus has for you.
Blessings!
