Tim Keller wrote, “It’s not whether or not we have rival gods—we all do, they are hidden in every one of us. A sign is when there is something we feel we must have to be happy.” Keller wrote that one of the tests we can use to identify and dismantle a rival god is to ask the question, “What do I habitually think about that I think would bring me joy and happiness?” There could be many answers to that question. Keller’s list of options in his book “Counterfeit Gods,” makes me uncomfortable. It’s like looking at an x-ray of myself and seeing numerous dark spots. The upside of that is knowing that the spots are removable! The diagnosis is real but so is the remedy. The spots/idols are robbing us of life. God wants us to remove the idols for our good. Idols are not healthy for our souls. They are not life-giving, they are life-sucking. The people of God that we read about in the Bible often had idols. Sometimes the idols were “holy things.” Have you ever turned a really good thing into a god? I have done this to my peril. We need to treat rival gods without mercy. When we think we must have something or we’ll not be happy, we better run to God! He alone is our Source, Sustainer, River of Life and at His right hand there are pleasures forever more. He is the soul’s one great need, and He is the soul’s one great provision.