When the author of our current book, David Platt, quoted, “We can’t fathom a Christian on the other side of the world believing that a wooden god can save them, but we have no problem believing that religion, money, possessions, food, fame, etc. can,” it really made me stop and think.

It’s easy for us as Christians to recognize

the idols of other religions. We can quickly point out the gods that Muslims, Buddhists, and others worship. But what about us? What are the idols in our own lives that have taken a place that belongs to God?

As we look at what Paul is saying in this verse, we see him describing the death that takes place when we truly surrender our lives to Christ. Paul says, “It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me.” His old way of living had died, and he had become a new creation in the One who loved him and gave His life for him.

That’s the beauty of dying to ourselves. Transformation begins when we stop making ourselves the center. Our desires begin to change. Our cravings change. Our thoughts change. Our priorities change. We may still struggle, but we no longer want to remain who we once were.

Dying to ourselves doesn’t mean temptation disappears. The enemy is still prowling, and we will still face moments where we are tempted to return to our old ways. But sin no longer has to have the same stronghold over us because Christ has given us a new way to live.

So maybe the question isn’t whether we have idols. Maybe the question is, what are we allowing to sit on the throne that belongs to God?

Is it money? Possessions? Food? Relationships? Success? Our image? Control? Even good things can become idols when they take priority over the One who gave them to us.

When we choose to die to ourselves, we are choosing to make room for Christ to live through us. And there is something beautiful about realizing that the life we surrender to God is the very life He transforms.

We don’t lose ourselves when we surrender to Christ—we become who He created us to be.❤️