DEVOTION - Day 29

2 Thessalonians 2:4 (New International Version)

4 He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God.

Although it’s not exactly what this verse is talking about, upon reading it, my mind immediately went to the gods that I have set up in my own life. Or better yet, what things do I allow to oppose what I believe and exalt itself above the God that I worship? And, do I use religious things to keep me from doing God’s will in my life?

We spend a lot of time doing things that are not getting us any closer to God. We have activities in our lives that we think we can’t do without, yet they don’t bring us into a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ. We even have things that we miss church to do because we feel as though we cannot miss it or else, somehow, our lives would be incomplete. These are the things that “oppose” and “exalt” themselves “over everything that is called God.”

Also, there are moments where we place religious things ahead of God’s will so that they set themselves up “in God’s temple, proclaiming to be God.” There are things in life that we know are sinful. When we see others who live this lifestyle or do these things, we let it interfere or come between us and our faith and we forget that the greatest commandments where to love God and love others. In other words, we get so wrapped up in judging and condemning other people, that it becomes something that proclaims itself to be God when God tells us to love everyone, unconditionally.

So, what activities do you have in your life that you are letting come between you and God? What things do you do that keep you from having a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ? What religious things have you allowed to set up in God’s temple that proclaim themselves to be God fooling you into thinking that they are God?

For me, I have always placed a high emphasis on ‘success.’ I used to do anything it took to get me what I had pictured in my mind as success. This meant that I would work long hours and even compromise my integrity to get where I wanted to be. In essence, I allowed this pursuit of ‘success’ to come between me and God and it caused me to stop going to church – it definitely opposed God in my life and I allowed it to exalt itself over God.

So, pray today that God will give you eyes to see the areas of your life where you have been separated from God. Ask Him to show you what things are being exalted over him and ask for His forgiveness. Finally, pray that the religion you subscribe to doesn’t outweigh and supersede the God that you serve and the faith that you have.