Idols | The Myth Of More
About this series:
To follow Jesus as Lord means putting nothing before Him. This is not only right but logical: no one is greater, no one satisfies more. Yet the daily struggle of discipleship is the pressure—both within and around us—to live as though something else is more worthy.
Christians have long understood this in terms of idols. Tim Keller defines an idol as “anything more important to you than God…anything you seek to give you what only God can give.” Martin Luther said, “Whatever your heart clings to and relies upon, that is your God.” John Piper calls it “anything we rely on for blessing or guidance in place of wholehearted trust in the living God.”
Scripture is clear from the start:
“You shall have no other gods before me” (Ex. 20:3; Deut. 5:7).
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind” (Matt. 22:37).
The danger is profound. Idols dishonor God, deceive us with false promises, and deform us into their image: “Those who make them will be like them, and so will all who trust in them” (Ps. 115:8). Humanity is wired to ascribe worth to something beyond itself, but this longing finds fulfillment only in the Creator: “Trust in the Lord—he is their help and shield” (Ps. 115:11). Only He truly satisfies, only He is worthy, only He is “the way, the truth, and the life” (Jn. 14:6).
Identifying idols is not always simple. Good gifts from God can quietly become an idol that replaces him. However, questions like these can help us begin to probe our hearts and minds:
What consumes most of my time and thoughts?
What stirs my emotions most deeply?
What do I feel I cannot live without?
Where do I place my hope for meaning and worth?
About this talk:
We live in a culture that, as much as anything else, presses on us constantly the message that more is better. We’re trained daily to be dissatisfied with what we have and to pursue satisfaction in more, better, faster. Satisfaction, we are told, can be found in the next opportunity, the next promotion, the next purchase, the next relationship. At heart, it’s an attempt to find a good thing - contentment, satisfaction - in the wrong place, in something other than God. God is not against contentment / satisfaction, but he designed us in such a way that it can only truly be found in him. Augustine famously expressed this in his Confessions: ‘Thou hast formed us for Thyself, and our hearts are restless till they find rest in Thee.’ The Psalmist expressed this idea centuries before:
“Truly my soul finds rest in God” (Psalm 62:1).
“One thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple” (Psalm 27:4).
So God has a better way for us, a true satisfaction and contentment that is found not in more, but in him. In the words of Jesus, Matthew 6:19-34:
“But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.” In contrast to temporary treasures that can be lost in an instant, invest in eternal things.
“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” What you set your heart on is where you will belong
and what you will become, so choose carefully.
“Your heavenly Father.” There is no need to worry about, and chase after, the stuff of this life when your perfect Father is caring for you.
“Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?” There is some simple logic here: worrying about accumulating possessions is incapable of adding anything to what really matters in life, and may in fact decrease from it.
“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” More logic: you cannot affect tomorrow by worrying about it today.
“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” Therefore, seek first God’s kingdom and he can be trusted to make sure you have everything you need.
And Paul also explains that there is a better way than chasing after more:
In contrast to those “who think that godliness is a means to financial gain,” the truth is that “godliness with contentment is great gain.” Elsewhere Paul says “I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation” (Philippians 4:12). Contentment is ultimately what everyone is looking for, but usually in the wrong places. Here Paul says “if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that” and in Philippians 4 that he has learned how to be content “whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.” Contentment is not dependent on circumstances, but on whether we are at peace with God.
“For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.” This is the stark reality for everyone who has ever lived and highlights the futility of living for the accumulation of wealth as if we will be able to take it with us when we die.
He then highlights some of the dangers that chasing after material things, whereby some “have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.”
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5 Daily Practices to Help You Live the “Enough” Life
Based on Matthew 6:19–34; 1 Timothy 6:6–10
When More Still Feels Empty
Have you ever reached a goal, bought the thing, got the promotion, only to realise the thrill didn’t last?
We live in a culture built on one message: “More is better.”
More money. More followers. More success. More stuff.
But no matter how much we get, it’s never enough.
The more we have, the more we want—and the more anxious we become.
Jesus said it plainly:
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth… But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven.” (Matthew 6:19–20)
Our endless pursuit of “more” leaves us tired, distracted, and spiritually empty.
But there’s another way to live—one that leads to peace instead of pressure.
It’s called the “Enough” life.
What Is the “Enough” Life?
The “Enough” life isn’t about owning less—it’s about needing less.
It’s the freedom that comes when you stop chasing what doesn’t last and start trusting the One who does.
Paul said it this way:
“Godliness with contentment is great gain.” (1 Timothy 6:6)
Contentment isn’t complacency.
It’s not giving up on ambition or growth.
It’s living from a deep, settled place of trust that says:
“What I have in Christ is enough.”
So how do we actually live that way in a world that constantly tells us we’re missing out?
Here are five daily practices that can help you live the “Enough” life.
1. Pause Before Pursuing
Before you chase the next thing—a purchase, promotion, or plan—pause and ask:
“Will this draw me closer to God, or distract me from Him?”
Not every “good opportunity” is a God opportunity.
Jesus said,
“Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matthew 6:33)
The order matters. When we seek things first, we lose peace.
When we seek God first, He provides what we truly need.
Practice: Before you buy or commit to something new, take 24 hours to pray about it. Let peace—not pressure—be your guide.
2. Practice Gratitude Daily
Gratitude is the antidote to discontent.
When you thank God for what you have, you stop fixating on what you don’t.
Paul reminded the church,
“If we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.” (1 Timothy 6:8)
That’s radical in a world where contentment is rare.
Gratitude shifts your focus from scarcity to sufficiency.
Practice: Each day, write down three simple things you’re thankful for. Don’t skip the small stuff—sometimes that’s where joy hides.
3. Give Generously
Giving loosens greed’s grip on your heart.
When you give, you declare that your hope isn’t in your bank account—it’s in your Father’s hands.
Jesus said,
“Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:21)
Generosity reorders your heart.
You become less focused on what you lack and more aware of how much you’ve been given.
Practice: Give something this week that costs you a little comfort—a gift, a meal, a moment of time—and watch how your heart expands.
4. Simplify Intentionally
Busyness and clutter—physical or emotional—drown out peace.
Jesus lived simply, not because He had to, but because He wanted room for what mattered most.
Simplicity isn’t just cleaning your closet—it’s clearing your heart.
It’s choosing margin over madness and stillness over striving.
Practice: Identify one area of life that feels overcrowded (your schedule, your inbox, your home). This week, remove one thing that doesn’t serve your soul.
5. Seek God Daily
Contentment isn’t found in circumstances—it’s found in communion.
Jesus said,
“Truly my soul finds rest in God.” (Psalm 62:1)
When your first pursuit each day is God Himself, the rest of life falls into perspective.
Peace flows from presence.
Practice: Before you scroll, open Scripture. Before you speak, pray. Before you move, pause in His presence.
The order of your seeking determines the peace of your soul.
The Great Exchange
The world says, “More stuff = more life.”
But Jesus says, “More of Me = real life.”
When you stop chasing “more” and start pursuing Him, you’ll find what your heart’s been searching for all along: enough.
Because the secret of contentment isn’t having everything you want— it’s wanting everything you already have in Christ.
“The secret of contentment is not having everything you want, but wanting everything you have—in Christ.”
Key Takeaway:
Living the “Enough” life means trading striving for stillness, greed for gratitude, and anxiety for trust.
You don’t need more stuff—you need more Saviour.
