Idols...

One of the books that I'm going through right now during my Quiet Times is Soul School by Jeanne Stevens.

The latest chapter I've read talks about Idols. The Israelites from time to time made idols and worshiped them. Other cultures had their idols and gods as well. When the Israelites did this, God usually let them know that they put something before Him. We sometimes think that idol worship was just an Old Testament issue. Yet, we have idols today in our lives. There is something or someone that we put ahead of our relationship with God, and God becomes secondary to our lives.

This has been such a great reminder for me, especially as a youth pastor. She talks about in youth ministry, some idols that we perhaps fall into from time to time:
External Success
Busyness
Comparison
The Past or the Future
Religious Activity
Youth Ministry
Yourself

In my experience so far as a youth pastor, I'll admit I've had these idols from time to time, and they tend to rear their ugly head just as things within the ministry seem to be going well. Sometimes its a constant battle to keep our eyes focused on the one true God that deserves our worship. Logically it would seem that this should be easy seeing as he's the creator of the universe, provides our every need, loves us, has a purpose for us etc... yet sometimes our hearts are easily swayed by the allure of our own glory. I've found for me, that spending daily time focusing on God through reading, praying and worshiping seems to help keep the focus right, and when I don't do those things, its easy for the idols to creep back in.