Our heart’s natural tendency is to seek out counterfeit saviors. We all have idols standing tall on the throne of our heart. We need to pray that Christ would help us identify those false saviors. And only as we repent and turn from those idols, will we find that Christ is our hope and the only Savior we’ve needed all along.

“Since we have a busy day today, does that mean we won’t have time to play any games on your phone?”

My son looked at me with expectation. I knew what he was thinking. He was concerned he would miss out on his game time.

Sometimes my children have an emotional response when they lose their game time. We’ve talked about the pull that such games have on them. We’ve talked about idols and the way they try to take the place of Christ in our heart.

I understand their struggle because I have idols of my own. Unlike carved images made out of wood or stone, the idols in my heart are not always so obvious. But they are idols just the same.

Searching for Saviors Everywhere

When my children were young, sleep became my primary goal in life. I longed for more sleep. I prayed for more sleep. I even thought in my heart, “If only I had more sleep, I’d be more productive and less irritable.”

Then as my kids grew, my idol of sleep was replaced by a desire for “me time.” I decided that if I just had a few minutes to myself, I would be a better, happier person. I blamed my irritability and impatience on the fact that I was with my children 24/7.

I’ve had many things in my life where I thought, “If _____ then ______.” “If only I had a bigger house, then we wouldn’t feel so cluttered and closed in.” “If only I could get ___ done, then I’d feel at peace.” “If only God would give me ____ then I would be content.” “If only…”

The truth is, all those things, whether big or small, in that moment, that is where I put my hope. That “if only” thing was my Savior. Whether it was a solid night’s sleep, a different job, a new house, or getting more help with my children, I idolized those things and put my hope and expectation in those things to make my life better.

But the truth is, my hope in life rests not in my circumstances but in the person and work of Jesus Christ.

Jesus is All We Need

I know that in my mind but too often I fail to live in out in my heart. Rather than placing Christ in the forefront of my vision, I get distracted by the world, my selfish desires, and in trying to live by my own strength. Too often, instead of finding my rest in what Christ has already done for me, I’m out pursuing the temporary rest the world offers. Instead of trusting in Christ, moment by moment for my strength, I seek some other outside source as the solution to my weakness.

But when I seek Christ first, trust him alone, find my hope in him alone, he gives me just what I needed all along–more of himself. Because more than making my life comfortable, he wants me to trust and depend on him. More than fulfilling all my desires and giving me all that I ask for, he wants to make me holy and more like him.

Scripture teaches that I must die to myself so that I can live for him. The more of me that dies, the more contentment I have, no matter the circumstances. The Apostle Paul knew this kind of contentment. He wrote in Philippians, “In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me” (4:12-13). He found contentment in whatever circumstances God placed him because his hope was in Christ. He knew that because he had Christ, he had all he needed. He trusted Christ to sustain him whether he had plenty or had nothing.

How much easier it is to trust and put our hope in some program, solution, the newest book or the latest craze than in the gospel of grace! The gospel seems so much less concrete and manageable. It’s not something we can check off our list. It’s not something we can do. Yet isn’t that the point? We can’t do. We can’t get everything right. And that’s why Jesus came. And because he came, we now have hope forever. We have open access to our Heavenly Father, forever forgiveness, endless grace, abundant mercy, and freedom from sin. All we need we have in Jesus.

Our heart’s natural tendency is to seek out counterfeit saviors. We all have idols standing tall on the throne of our heart. We need to pray that Christ would help us identify those false saviors. And only as we repent and turn from those idols, will we find that Christ is our hope and the only Savior we’ve needed all along.

Christina Fox, a graduate of Covenant College, is a member of Treasure Coast Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Stuart, Fla. She blogs at To Show Them Jesus