When Good Things Become God Things.

1 Timothy 6:17–19

“Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth… but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.”

What if something good becomes something you can’t live without?

There are a lot of things in life that we really, really want.

Friends to like us.

A certain body shape.

Good grades.

A boyfriend or girlfriend.

Being included.

A certain number of followers or likes.

A sports team to notice us.

The newest clothes.

Success.

Attention.

Approval.

And wanting those things isn't automatically wrong.

God actually gives us good things to enjoy. 1 Timothy 6 tells us that God “richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.” The problem isn't enjoying God's gifts. The problem begins when we start believing that one of those gifts is something we cannot live without.

Here's a question worth sitting with:

What is something I feel like I absolutely have to have in order to be happy, secure, beautiful, important, or loved?

Because sometimes a good thing can quietly become a God thing.

A thing I can't live without...so much that I begin to doubt God's goodness or love when it is absent, can become a functional God-replacement, directing my heart more than He does.

Think about that for a minute.

If I believe, "I'll finally be happy when I look like her," then my appearance has started directing my heart.

If I believe, "I'll be okay if everyone likes me,” then other people's approval has started directing my heart.

If I believe, “I have to make the team or I'm a failure,” then achievement has started directing my heart.

If I believe, “I need this relationship or I'll never be loved,” then another person has started carrying a weight that only God was meant to carry.

And here's the really tricky part:

Sometimes our idols aren't bad things. They're just good things in the wrong place.

Friends are good.

Beauty is good.

Achievement can be good.

Love is good.

Success can be good.

But none of them were designed to be your God.

Paul tells us in 1 Timothy 6 to put our hope in God, not in what we have, what we accomplish, or what the world can give us.

Why?

Because everything else can change.

Your appearance will change.

Friendships will change.

Your grades will change.

Your popularity will change.

Your circumstances will change.

But God doesn't.

Your worth doesn't disappear when someone doesn't text you back.

Your beauty doesn't disappear when you don't look like the girl on Instagram.

Your value doesn't disappear when you fail.

Your identity doesn't disappear when you are left out.

And God's love doesn't disappear when you don't get what you prayed for.

God Himself is the gift you were ultimately made for.

So today, ask yourself:

“Is there something I want so badly that I've started believing I can't be okay without it?”

Don't be ashamed if something comes to mind. This isn't about beating yourself up. It's about being honest with God.

You can pray:

“God, I l really would love this thing. . But I don't want it to become more important to me than You. Help me trust that You are enough, even when You don't give me what I want.”

And that is freedom.

Because when God is at the center, you can enjoy good things without needing them to prove that you're loved.

You can enjoy beauty without worshiping it.

You can pursue success without making it your identity.

You can love people without needing their approval.

You can have dreams without believing your dreams determine your worth.

And you can receive God's blessings with open hands instead of clenched fists.

You don't have to make a good thing your god in order to enjoy it.

You can simply receive it as a gift from the One who loves you.

Strong Girl Challenge

Today, think of one thing you're afraid to live without.

Write it down.

Then underneath it, write:

“God, You are enough for me—even without ________.”

And ask Him to help you believe it.

Journal It

What is something I really want right now?

Would I still believe God loves me if I didn't get it? Why or why not?

Have I ever allowed someone's opinion, my appearance, success, friendships, or something I own to determine how I feel about myself?

What would it look like for me to enjoy good things without making them the source of my identity?

Remember This

Good things make terrible gods.

But God makes every good thing better because He puts it in its proper place.

You are not what you have.

You are not what you accomplish.

You are not who approves of you.

You are God's girl. And He is enough