What Is the Idol of Comfort and How Dangerous Is It?
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“What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?” (Mark 8:36).
The Declaration of Independence tells us that the “pursuit of happiness” is our unalienable right, endowed by our Creator. This is a promise that here in the U.S. we have taken very seriously and treasure as a part of our heritage. As it should be.
Yet, over the past several decades, our pursuit of happiness seems to have evolved into something that is seemingly unrecognizable, and not at all what it was originally intended to be. The pursuit of happiness has seeped into our lives as the driving desire – need, even – for ease and comfort.
Our pursuit of happiness has transformed into a strong tendency to prioritize ease, security and the avoidance of discomfort in our lives. It has become an endless quest for more and better, and is revealed in a consumer-driven mindset and behavior that impacts every aspect of our lives. In short, we have seemingly redefined happiness to mean: the more you have, the happier you’ll be.
As oil tycoon John Rockefeller is known to have said, when asked how much money is enough: “Just a little bit more.”
We now live in a culture of more. A culture of unquenchable thirst for more, bigger, better, newer. And the marketing/advertising world know this. It’s everywhere. And social media takes it all to whole new, horrible level.
Marketing today monetizes our restlessness and our pursuit of more. We can never escape it. So much of our time is now spent comparing our lives to what we should have or could have: our marriages, friendships, homes, cars, bodies, accomplishments, and bank accounts. The list could go on.
And it serves to distract us from what is most important. We buy into what they are trying to sell – and I don’t mean the marketing companies. They are selling a secular, very non-Christlike world.
They are selling us a life that is disconnected from God and from the responsibilities of our faith. We allow comfort – or what we see as comfort – to become the primary focus of our lives rather than a life dedicated to serving Him.
The pursuit of happiness has mutated into a type of hedonism in our lives. It is an idol that takes God’s rightful place as first and foremost. The idol of comfort.
“Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income. This too is meaningless” (Ecclesiastes 5:10).
The Deceitfulness of Wealth
“The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful” (Matthew 13:22).
Our inclination to compare ourselves to others is evident in what we view as wealth. Rather than our own comfort, we look at the status of others. We see the homes, cars, maybe even the incomes of our co-workers or neighbors, even people on television, and we live our lives dreaming of “if only…”
If only I could get a raise or a promotion at work…
If only we could afford that new car…
If only our house was a bit bigger or had a bigger yard, then the kids could…
Our dreams and aspirations have more to do with our financial or job status than what we can do or are doing for the Lord. Too often, our efforts to achieve more assets and more possessions result in more time spent working. Oh sure, we might tell ourselves we’re doing it for them, but in truth we know better. We are doing it to achieve more and get paid more and be able to afford to buy more.
We have such an abundance of stuff we don’t need, that the storage unit industry in the United States amounts to $38 billion. Think we’re spoiled? And yet we are still not satisfied.
On the flip side, a friend of mine took a missionary trip to Ecuador to visit a small village our company was supporting. She came home rather stunned – not just at the poverty, but at the happiness of those in the village who had nothing.
My wife remembers her dad always telling her growing up, “Ojos que no ven, corazones que no sienten.” “Eyes that don’t see, hearts that don’t feel.” We have allowed comfort to blind us to the needs of others – to the poverty not just around the world, but right around us.
“Then Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven’” (Matthew 19:23).
The Impact on Our Faith
“Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:2-3).
Between work, our duties at home, our kids, our activities and whatever else you have going, we seem to endlessly get sucked into the tyranny of the urgent. Our endless commitments seem to be constantly hammering at us, leaving us rather exhausted when we do get a moment to rest.
Sabbath rest? Goodness, what’s that? If we’re feeling up to it we go to church, but then we have a long list of errands and chores. When we do find time to just sit, maybe we take the time to watch our favorite team or TV show. We simply need to “veg out” and wind down from what seems like a very long week.
“Of course, we heard the sermon about giving this morning…again. Don’t they ever stop? After all, we give what we can. Our budgets are tight enough, thank you. Don’t they understand the cost of living these days? And they’re asking for volunteers to help out on Sundays again, too. I just don’t have time or the energy for that.”
Exaggeration? Perhaps. Yet so many churches struggle to find enough volunteers to serve in their various ministries. Even large churches seem to be unable to fill all the roles they offer. As for giving, well – according to Ministry Brands, the average annual giving by adults who attend Protestant churches is around $1737, while only 27% of churchgoers are at or above 10% of their income.
Yet, in his book The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry, John Mark Comer tells us that shopping is now the number one leisure activity in America – usurping the place previously held by religion.
We have indeed let the idol of comfort dominate our lives to the extent that it gets in the way of serving the Lord and serving our neighbors, as we are called.
Do we believe it is due to of a lack of faith? All Christians would say they believe that Christ is their Savior, not their career or wealth. Yet how they live their lives tells a different story.
I have heard it argued that atheism has crept its way into our churches. I would argue that it isn’t atheism – it’s casual Christianity. These who calls themselves Christian have let other idols slip into their lives and their relationship with the Lord has suffered. It lacks any commitment or intentionality. It is lukewarm.
“So, because you are lukewarm — neither hot nor cold — I am about to spit you out of my mouth” (Revelation 3:16).
Counting the Cost
“Then he said to them, ‘Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions’” (Luke 12:15).
Jesus warned us more about greed and the deceitfulness of wealth than He did about sex. Yet almost no one would admit to being guilty of it. Not because of dishonesty, but rather because they are entirely unaware of the impact greed has on their lives.
When an idol gets a foothold in your life, it will foster a whole set of rationalizations, false definitions and justifications. It will cause us to redefine the reality of how it would not apply to us – after all, we’re just providing for a good life for our families.
Yet, Jesus warned us that we are to “count the cost” of following Him (Luke 14:25-33). He didn’t mention that we could follow Him while “living the good life” too. I just couldn’t find that verse.
“In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples” (Luke 14:33).
We must be willing to give up everything.
Now please ask yourself – what if Jesus told you what He said to the rich young ruler in Luke 18 – “Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, and follow me.”
What might your response be?
In His teachings, Jesus made crystal clear that we are to focus on following Him – not on our lives here on earth:
Matthew 6:19-21: Store up for yourselves treasures in heaven – not treasure here on earth.
Matthew 6:25: Don’t worry about your life here – what you’re eat or drink or wear. Life is more than food and clothes.
In the parable of the sower, Jesus describes this idol that impacts those who have heard the word, yet the seed has been sown among thorns, “which are the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things” (Mark 4:19). And those thorns come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful.
We so often hear Philippians 4:13 quoted: “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” We hear it when someone has any sort of challenge they face or task they want to accomplish. And yet, Paul was specifically referring to the Lord giving him strength to find contentment regardless of the situation.
Perhaps we can rely on Jesus to give us the same strength.
Ask yourself – what really brings us joy? Is it the endless pursuit of more? Or is it the restful satisfaction of contentment? Is it lining our own pockets? Or seeing and feeling the joy, relief and gratitude from helping a family in need?
Fighting Back
“’Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these” (Mark 12:30-31).
The lesson is clear: love God with absolutely everything you have. Make Him first and foremost in your life, above all other things. That means building a strong relationship with Him, knowing you can count on Him and trust Him with all things.
Love our neighbor as we do ourselves. Sacrifice for them with our time and treasure. Keep our eyes and hearts open to those in need.
The question we must each ask ourselves – Do I? Is the Lord the very center of my life? Is He everything to me? Or have I let material things interfere with my relationship? Do I love my neighbor as I do myself? Am I willing to make sacrifices for them? Or have I placed myself first on that list?
If not, then I must be willing to admit this to myself and turn back to the Lord in repentance and prayer. It is never too late. We must replace idols in our lives through the Spirit. However, if you pull the weeds of idolatry, yet fail to plant the love of Christ in its place, the idol will grow back.
The answer is simple. It may not be easy, but it is simple. Devotion to spiritual disciplines.
Silence and Solitude in Prayer and the Word of God (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)
Make the Lord your first priority each day. Not the news. Not your email. Not social media. The Lord.
Follow Jesus’ example; he often found time to spend in a quiet place away from the crowd. Make it a daily habit, as well as something you practice throughout the day. “Pray without ceasing.” Pray not just in words, but from the heart.
Give Sacrificially (Acts 20:35)
Paul tells us the Lord loves a cheerful giver (2 Corinthians 9:7). Paul also quotes Jesus, who said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35). That means our giving should be the first thing in our budget, not the last.
Serve (Galatians 5:13)
Jesus’ sacrifice gave us freedom, but not freedom to live a life of convenience and comfort while ignoring the Lord and everything and everyone around us. We are not called to use our “…freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love” (Galatians 5:13).
Volunteer somewhere. Give of your time.
Attend a Bible-Teaching Church (Hebrews 10:25)
It seems so easy to sit at home and watch the live stream – or not do anything at all. But Church is about worship and community. It’s about finding strength in each other, and it’s about learning. It’s about “encouraging one another – and all the more as you see the Day approaching” (Hebrews 10:25).
Becoming a true disciple of Jesus is not easy. But it is a lot easier than the alternatives.
How well do you know Jesus? How well does He know you?
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’” (Matthew 7:21-23).
Photo credit: ©Getty Images/fizkes
Greg doesn’t pretend to be a pastor, a theologian, or a Bible expert, but offers the perspective of an everyday guy on the same journey as everyone else – in pursuit of truth.
Greg can be reached by email or on Facebook @ Greg Grandchamp - Author.