I recently preached a sermon on guarding your heart from idolatry. Consider this a “sermon redux” because I want to expand on that message by sharing some ways we can identify the idols in our lives. Every believer will, at some point, struggle with idolatry simply because, as Calvin said, “our hearts are idol factories.” Plus, we live in a world filled with idols that clamor for our allegiance and affection.

First, let’s understand what an idol is. Martin Lloyd Jones, the famous British minister, provides a great definition: “An idol is anything in our lives that occupies the place that should be occupied by God alone. Anything that…is central in my life, anything that seems to me…essential…An idol is anything by which I live and on which I depend, anything that…holds such a controlling position in my life that…it moves and rouses and attracts so much of my time and attention, my energy and money.” —D.M. Lloyd-Jones

With this in mind, here are four questions that can aid you in identifying an idol.

1. What is the deepest desire of my heart?

Idols spring up within the human heart. The Lord said to the prophet Ezekiel: “Son of man, these men [the elders] have set up idols in their hearts and put wicked stumbling blocks before their faces. Should I let them inquire of me at all? In Ezekiel 14:3 God compared idolatry to the sin of adultery. Imagine an unfaithful spouse asking you for a favor.

Discerning your deepest desire may require serious introspection. Take some time to think about this. What is it that comes to mind when you think about what you most desire in life? It might be financial security, a career move, or something you wish to possess.

Tertullian, the early church father, argued that idolatry is “the principle crime of the human race” because it comes from loving something above God. Ask yourself if you can sincerely say to God, “Whom have I in heaven but you? I desire you more than anything on earth.” (Psalm 73:25)

2. What most occupies my thoughts?

A.W. Tozer wrote: “What we think about when we are free to think about what we will – that is what we are or will soon become.” Ask yourself, “what occupies my thoughts in those quiet moments when I’m alone and undistracted?” When the bird of thought is let go from the ark of your soul, on what does it settle? Perhaps there is something that you constantly worry about and fear losing? The greatest cause for anxiety is when our idols are threatened.

Of course, this will be determined by what we take into our minds. It’s a vicious cycle because what we think about most will be what we think about more. It will begin to shape you into its own image. This is why God commands us to “cast down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.” (2 Corinthians 10:5)

3. How do I spend my money?

Jesus said very plainly, “You cannot serve God and money.” Money can be a great servant but will always be a terrible master. The Apostle Paul wrote: “The love of money is the root of all kinds of evil.” (1 Timothy 6:10) If you find yourself constantly worried about money, it’s become an idol. The same is true if you find yourself boasting about your wealth.

Ask yourself, “Am I stingy with my money?” An unwillingness to give means money is more important to you than the needs of others. Further, are you resentful or jealous of other people’s wealth? Do you find yourself making money your hope for the future? If financial concerns rob you of sleep, money may be an idol. The Bible says, “The sleep of a laborer is sweet, whether they eat little or much, but as for the rich, their abundance permits them no sleep.” (Ecclesiastes 5:12) Further, “Whoever trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will flourish like a green leaf.” (Proverbs 11:28)

4. How do I spend my free time?

Men make idols out of sports or hobbies when they give an inordinate amount of time to them. Men make idols out of their career when they sacrifice time with more important things to advance it. Their job prevents them from investing time at church, keeps them from spending time with family, and rules out involvement with worthy causes.

These are just a few questions that will help you identify idols in your life. It is also important to remember that you can never just reject an idol, it must be replaced. Thomas Chalmers said it best: “The heart is not so constituted that the only way to dispossess it of an old affection, is by the expulsive power of a new one.” The heart can only be protected against idolatry by a supreme love for God and a desire for his glory.

you can never just reject an idol, it must be replaced

Here’s an excellent article I heartily recommend by Martin Lloyd Jones.