IS SOMETHING HIDDEN IN YOUR HEART 

CONTROLLING YOU?

Deep within every human soul lies a hidden refuge – a place where we craft fantasies to give us meaning, comfort, and a sense of salvation. When God is not at the center, we instinctively seek something – anything – to cling to. We search for worthiness, for a reason not to feel adrift in the vastness of existence. Yet what our soul is truly yearning for is our Creator. Instead, we often try to satisfy that divine hunger with substitutes. We turn to our imagination, fashioning a god in our own image – something or someone we believe will give us what only God can provide. For some, it’s found in the love of a woman or the arms of a man. Some look for salvation in beauty, success, optimal health, or even selfless acts of service. But these good things, when elevated to ultimate things, become idols – false gods that eventually dominate our hearts.

Our idols are found in our deepest obsessions and dependencies – those pursuits that captivate us and quietly rule our lives. They are what we chase at any cost, what we fear losing the most, and what we sacrifice for without hesitation. Simply put, idols are things we love the way we were meant to love God — with all our soul, with all our mind, with all our strength, and with all our heart (Mark 12:30).

Idolatry often hides behind what seems virtuous. Even acts done in God’s name – like violence justified by religion – can be masks for deeper idols. As Scripture says, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can understand it?” (Jeremiah 17:9). We can’t rely on instinct to judge what’s right until we lay our motives bare before God.

Idolatry is a far more serious sin than we often realize. Scripture warns against it more than any other sin – approximately 578 times. To put it in perspective, adultery and greed are only mentioned twenty-one 21 times.[i] In fact, God lists idolatry first among the gravest sins (Deuteronomy 5:8-10), because of its generational impact. Yet many of us fail to recognize our idols, or how they quietly fuel much of our suffering.

Idolatry often spreads through relationships, creating subtle codependencies within social and cultural circles. Those who idolize education may gravitate toward the highly educated, finding comfort in shared values. Others may obsess over beauty, forming bonds based on appearance and approval. People-pleasers often attract self-idolaters – those who seek control. These patterns may seem extreme from the outside, but they reveal how deeply idols can shape our connections with others.

The heart is capable of worshiping many idols at once – some more intensely than others. A self-idolater, for example, may also crave power or beauty. Idols can shift over time, often replaced by more enticing ones. This is especially visible in youth, where insecurity leads to changing obsessions – like giving their whole heart to a relationship, only to move on quickly. As they grow, these idols tend to settle into more permanent forms – ones they may carry for life.

Modern idolatry is rooted in the pursuit of self – our pleasures, our security, our glory. Each day, our soul instinctively asks: What will satisfy me? What will make me feel worthy? When we look back on our biggest decisions, deepest regrets, and even our best intentions, we often find ourselves at the center. This self-focus leads to self-worship – and pulls us away from God. Ask yourself: What would you defend without hesitation? Among many idols, one will always rise above the rest – yourself.

Recognizing our idols isn’t always easy, as we often disguise them as duty, ambition, or even moral conviction. So, how can we tell the difference between true love and idolatry? Between healthy commitment and misplaced worship? It requires honest self-examination – looking closely at our thoughts, desires, emotions, and the motives behind what we do.

Our thoughts are an incredibly intimate aspect of who we are. They reflect what we value most – whether it’s success, relationships, possessions, pleasure, or even a noble cause. Our recurring thoughts serve as signposts to our idols. The things that fill our minds in quiet moments, that greet us in the morning or linger at night, often point to what rules us. As Jesus said, even a lustful look reveals sin in the heart (Matthew 5:28), showing that idolatry often begins in the mind – where desire and fantasy take root.’

Our words also expose our idols, as Jesus said, “What comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart.” (Matthew 15:18). What we talk about most – our children, spouse, achievements – can reveal what we treasure most. Those closest to us can often see it too. Some may tolerate our obsessions out of familiarity; others might withdraw or change the subject. Either response can be a red flag, pointing to what has taken hold of our heart.

Our strongest emotions can reveal what we truly worship – whether joy or pain. Notice when you feel overwhelming excitement, spontaneous singing, or unusual kindness. These bursts of emotions might come from many places, but they can also be signs of the delight our idols bring, even if only briefly.

Just as positive emotions can reveal our idols, so can negative ones. As Timothy Keller points out in Counterfeit Gods, paying attention to what triggers our irritation, restlessness, despair, anger, or anxiety helps expose what holds power over us.[ii] How we respond to challenges – whether to authority being questioned, plans disrupted, strict diets, broken relationships, financial loss, or comments about our character, physical appearance, or intellect – often uncovers the false gods we worship

Examining our emotions can also reveal people we idolize. If there’s someone you’re willing to please at any cost – someone whose approval deeply affects your mood and emotions – you’ve likely found an idol.

Idolatry steals our affection and passion from God. Another way to spot our idols is to notice the thoughts that interrupt our prayers – those distractions that compete for our attention when we seek God. If your mind repeatedly drifts during prayer or Bible reading, those persistent thoughts may reveal what truly holds your heart.

Every idol demands sacrifice. By examining what we are fiercely willing to make sacrifices for, or defend without limits – we can uncover where our true devotion lies. The relationships, ideals, or possessions we invest in wholeheartedly often reveal the idols we cherish most.

The surest way to uncover our idols is to seek the Holy Spirit’s guidance. When we pray and open the Bible, God may reveal areas of idolatry in our lives. We shouldn’t dismiss these as irrelevant or meant for others. If God repeatedly brings up idolatry, it’s a personal call to repentance. By humbly asking for His guidance, the Holy Spirit will expose the hidden objects of our worship.

Many see God as a Savior who appears only in times of trouble. While it’s good to call on Him then, God truly desires to dwell in the secret places of our hearts – beyond the illusions we create for false safety and hope. He wants our full submission for genuine joy and purpose. This means we must repeatedly relinquish our counterfeit gods and repent, for all illusions fade away, but God endures forever.

If you want to understand the idols that control you, the needless suffering they cause, and how to overcome them, I encourage you to read The Lord Your God is ONE, available on Amazon Books.

NOTES

[i] Adriana Jimenez-Ortiz, The Lord Your God Is ONE, (San Antonio: Adrina Ortiz-Jimenez, 2024), 3.

[ii] Timothy Keller, Counterfeit Gods: The Empty Promises of Money, Sex, and Power, and the Only Hope that Matters, 1st ed. (New York: Penguin Group, 2009), 169-170.

Photograph source: CANVA