Refine Me: Destroying the Idols

As I think on the past month, I am thankful for all that God has been doing in my heart regarding this "idol" area of my life... particularly my facebook usage. I just finished reading "Not a Fan," as I mentioned in my last post, but I've also begun reading through "One Thousand Gifts," and I'm so thankful for how God is using these books in my life to encourage me and challenge me in this area. One of the big areas both of these books has challenged me is by reminding me of the importance of  discipline. I will not magically begin spending less time on facebook by simply hoping to... I must be diligent in destroying this idol. Here are quotes from both of the books that have reminded me of this truth:

Kyle Idleman's "Not a Fan"
"Confess the sin of acedia in your life and then start doing the things you did at first [Rev. 2:4-5]. Get on your knees next to your bed and talk to God about your day. Turn on some worship music in your car and sing along. Grab a one-year Bible and start reading and meditating on God's Word. Even if you don't initially feel like doing some of those things it will begin to stir the fire that has grown dim... Recommit your love to God and then passionately pursue him." (ch. 9)

Ann Voskamps' "One Thousand Gifts"
"Daily Discipline is the door to full freedom" (pg. 84)

I truly desire to make my moments matter more for eternal purposes... to spend time with people, with God, and with my family ... rather than mindlessly scrolling through facebook updates or online parenting advice or pinterest pictures. I know it's worth it to get a grip on my life in this area, but I know it's also not easy to remove the idols that we've allowed to dominate our lives. I'm still struggling in this area, but God has been refining me in many encouraging ways... but it hasn't happened without discipline or without purposeful changes. So I'd like to share some of the practical decisions I've made to help me as I seek to destroy this idol:

Prayer - I can't expect my heart or my will to change on my own. I need help from the Holy Spirit.
Time with God - I've made a rule that I must spend time with God before getting on the internet (reading and prayer).
Pandora: There's something about good worship music that puts your heart in the right place.
Internet Usage Manager: I've downloaded "WasteNoTime" which allows me to make different settings. I've made my settings so that I can only be on facebook for a certain amount of time each day. There's a ticker at the top of my browser that I can look at to see how long I've been on facebook for. I'm constantly reminded of how much time I'm wasting. How's that for intentional monitoring?
Only Important: Did you know that you can individually edit what updates you see from people? Before, I had it so that I saw "most updates" from all of my facebook friends. With 1000 friends (I'm not really that popular, I've just gone to 5 different schools in my life, lived in 3 different states, and traveled to too many countries to remember), I could seriously spend hours a day scrolling through updates. It was ridiculous but tempting. I've narrowed it down so that now I only see "important updates" from most people other than family and close friends (so if you announce your engagement, pregnancy, new job, new hairdo, new dog, your kid sleeps through the night... anything that gets facebook excited and gives you lots of likes... I still see it. That's really the reason everyone loves facebook anyways right? Those exciting life updates from people you never see anymore...). Anyways, my facebook newsfeed wall is incredibly boring now. Kicked that time waster right out the door.
Accountability: I have several friends who know I'm working on this area of my life and aren't afraid to ask me the tough questions. They know I hate them a little bit for doing so, but it's the type of hate that's done out of love. :)
Out of Sight, Out of Use: If I don't have my laptop, then I can't use facebook... or at least, it's much trickier (I don't have a phone with a data plan which helps!). So when I go to hang out with family, I don't take my laptop unless I'm absolutely going to need it (I used to always take it). The other night was a long day and Ben wasn't home and I just wanted to sit down and waste time on the internet, so instead I packed up the girls, and we drove to the park. Some times, you just need to run away.

And you know what? The more I work on this area of my life and "improve," the more I realize I still need more work... I'm still so far from loving God the way I should, the way he deserves.

Some encouraging and challenging verses as I allow God to work in my heart in this area:

Colossians 3
"If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Put to death therefore what is earthly in your: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry."

Matthew 6:24
"No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other."

Galatians 5:16-26

"So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law.

The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other."

Lord, Refine me. Even when it hurts or when it's hard, I pray that you would refine me. Do not allow idols to rule my life. I pray that my heart and soul would long after you and you alone.