Iron Rose Sister Ministries

Timothy Keller’s book Counterfeit Gods addresses the concept of joy from the back door – a unique perspective on the things that steal our true joy.
He defines idolatry as “taking some incomplete joy of this world and building your entire life on it.”
What is an incomplete joy of this world? Anything that is not God. I’ll repeat that: ANYTHING that is not God is a source of incomplete joy.
Is there anything wrong with finding joy in our family? Our jobs? Love? A new perfect shade of nail polish? Not at all. We should find joy in those things. “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again, rejoice.” (Philippians 4:4)
We can find joy in anything, but if we place that joy above the joy in God alone, it becomes an idol, a counterfeit god, and one that will fail us because it is an incomplete joy – only a shadow of what God offers.
What is your source of joy today? The Creator or his creation?