I'm a person who studies patterns. I love all things related to behavior, especially as they intertwine with God and science. It's one of the ways God teaches me to see deeper truths. One of the most apparent issues plaguing the body of Christ right now is idolatry.

There's been a significant increase in the consumption of sermons, music, and content that has created an appetite for worshipping created things instead of worshipping the Creator.

While there are levels of idolatry to explore, today, we’re starting with level 1: When Pain Becomes a "god."

The Breakdown

Unforgiveness, bitterness, hate, jealousy, malice, slander, and gossip share a common root: the condition of the heart. These attitudes are described in Scripture as works of the flesh and manifestations of sin. They arise from a heart not fully surrendered to God, revealing areas where love, the foundational command for believers, is absent.

They All Stem from the Flesh

• These attitudes are listed as part of the "works of the flesh" in Galatians 5:19–21. Each stems from our sinful nature rather than the Spirit of God. Walking by the Spirit produces fruit like love, peace, patience, and kindness (Galatians 5:22–23), these highlight areas where we’re still walking in the flesh.

They Defile the Heart

• Jesus taught that these heart postures come from within and defile a person in Mark 7:21–23.

They Oppose Love and Unity

• God commands us to love one another, for love fulfills the law (Romans 13:10). These traits directly oppose love. For example:
• Unforgiveness ignores the command to forgive as Christ forgave us (Colossians 3:13).
• Bitterness and malice grieve the Holy Spirit and disrupt unity (Ephesians 4:31–32).
• Slander and gossip destroy relationships and are condemned (Proverbs 16:28)

They Give the Enemy a Foothold

• Ephesians 4:26–27 warns that these attitudes open the door for Satan to operate in our lives, keeping us bound in cycles of hurt, division, and sin. When unresolved wounds linger, they invite spiritual strongholds that enslave rather than heal.

They Bring Judgment

• Scripture repeatedly warns that harboring unforgiveness, hatred, or jealousy leads to judgment:
• "But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins" (Matthew 6:15).
• "Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him" (1 John 3:15).

How This Applies to Idolatry

• Unforgiveness, bitterness, hate, jealousy, malice, slander, and gossip directly connect to idolatry because they reveal a heart where pain, instead of God, dictates thoughts, actions, and desires.

Unforgiveness as a False Protector

• Unforgiveness often stems from self-protection. We idolize pain because holding onto it feels safer than risking vulnerability or trusting God’s justice. Scripture warns that failing to forgive imprisons us spiritually: "If you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses" (Matthew 6:15). Refusing to forgive places our pain above God’s command, making it an idol we serve through resentment.

Bitterness and Hate as “Justifiers”

• Bitterness and hate fuel self-righteousness, allowing us to justify sin rather than repent. This attitude exalts our pain and desires for vengeance above God’s grace and mercy. Scripture cautions: "Pursue peace with all people…lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled" (Hebrews 12:14–15). Nurturing bitterness is worshiping the “god of hurt,” relying on anger instead of God’s power to heal and restore.

Jealousy and Malice as False Comforts

• Jealousy and malice are rooted in comparison, revealing discontentment with God’s provision. Acting out of jealousy idolizes what we lack rather than trusting in God’s sufficiency:
• "For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there" (James 3:16).
• "You shall have no other gods before Me" (Exodus 20:3).

Slander and Gossip as Tools of Self-Elevation

• Slander and gossip elevate self by tearing others down, revealing a heart craving power and control. This replaces God’s authority with our own judgment, making an idol of self. "The tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity…It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison" (James 3:6–8).
• Indulging in slander serves the “god of hurt,” using words to soothe insecurities rather than submission to God who gives us security.

When Pain Becomes a False God

"If you do not oppress the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, and do not shed innocent blood in this place, or walk after other gods to your hurt" (Jeremiah 7:6).

This verse unveils a sobering truth: when we leave wounds unhealed, they often lead us to idolatry. Throughout Scripture, we see how unresolved pain birthed idols—false gods that only deepened the hurt they promised to heal.

Take Rachel in Genesis 30:1. Her deep pain over infertility consumed her and she became envious of her sister: "Give me children, or else I die!" Her longing for children became an idol, leading to jealousy, strife, and ultimately division in her family. Rather than trusting God’s timing, Rachel allowed her pain to dictate her actions, and the resulting idol strained her relationships.

Consider Saul, whose insecurity and fear of rejection drove him to idolize his throne and the approval of people. In 1 Samuel 15:24, he admitted, "I feared the people and obeyed their voice." His refusal to surrender the desire to please people instead of God led to disobedience and ultimately cost him his kingdom. His idol—human approval—did not heal his insecurity but magnified it, leading to his downfall.

Another tragic example is Solomon. Despite his unparalleled wisdom, Solomon’s unaddressed desires for love and security led him to marry foreign women who worshipped other gods. 1 Kings 11:4 says, "His wives turned his heart after other gods, and his heart was not loyal to the Lord." His idolatry stemmed from a search for fulfillment, leaving his legacy fractured.

Even the Israelites in the wilderness turned their pain into an idol. While waiting for Moses on Mount Sinai, they grew impatient and fearful. Instead of trusting God’s provision, they made a golden calf, saying, "These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt!" (Exodus 32:4). Their unresolved fear led to idolatry, which brought devastating consequences.

What ties these stories together is the way pain and unmet desires became doorways for idolatry. Instead of bringing their wounds to God for healing, these individuals sought solutions elsewhere, elevating created things above God.

These examples are proof that anything we don't submit and surrender to God can quickly consume us and become worship and open doors to the enemy.

Yet God offers a better way. In Psalm 147:3, we’re reminded, "He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds." Healing begins when we bring our pain, fears, and unmet desires to Him, trusting His ability to fill every void. Forgiveness and surrender are vital steps in this process. As Jesus said, "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28). 

Reflection

• Are there places in your life where pain has become an idol? Reflect on the lives of Rachel, Saul, Solomon, and the Israelites. Let their lives serve as warnings about the dangers of idolatry and the freedom found in surrendering to God. He is the only One who can truly heal the wounds that idols never will.