Honestly......

BarlowGirl

For the past eight years I was OBSESSED with a band called BarlowGirl. They are no longer a band and their one year anniversary of not being a band is coming up on Tuesday. But their music really changed my life. In high school, I went through a tough time and their music really got me through. I went to nine of their concerts and loved every single second. I started to dress like them. I slipped a purity ring on the left finger just like Lauren, Alyssa and Becca. At first I was just a fan. But over the years, I started to worship them. Yes, worship them. worshipping people is viewing them as an idol in my book.

The day they announced that they were going to break up, I sobbed and sobbed and sobbed. I felt like a part of me was going to forever be with these beautiful girls that had changed my life for forever. But I did not really realize how much they affected my life.

The day after I found out that BG was not going to be a band anymore, I heard the Lord speak to me. I will just say that the Lord does not speak to me very often. I have only heard him speak to me a few times. It wasn't an audible voice but it was something that I heard in my heart. We could sit here for days and debate this but for me it struck me and hit me in the gut.

God said "Jessica, you idolized BarlowGirl. I took them away from you so that you could focus on me."

ouch.

Idolize. thats a pretty strong term and something that we are not commanded to do.

When Moses goes up to receive the Ten Commandments and then interesting things happen.

 "When the people saw that Moses was so long in coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and said, “Come, make us gods[a] who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don’t know what has happened to him.”

2 Aaron answered them, “Take off the gold earrings that your wives, your sons and your daughters are wearing, and bring them to me.” 3 So all the people took off their earrings and brought them to Aaron. 4 He took what they handed him and made it into an idol cast in the shape of a calf, fashioning it with a tool. Then they said, “These are your gods,[b] Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.”

5 When Aaron saw this, he built an altar in front of the calf and announced, “Tomorrow there will be a festival to the Lord.” 6 So the next day the people rose early and sacrificed burnt offerings and presented fellowship offerings. Afterward they sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry.

7 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go down, because your people, whom you brought up out of Egypt, have become corrupt. 8 They have been quick to turn away from what I commanded them and have made themselves an idol cast in the shape of a calf. They have bowed down to it and sacrificed to it and have said, ‘These are your gods, Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.’

9 “I have seen these people,” the Lord said to Moses, “and they are a stiff-necked people.10 Now leave me alone so that my anger may burn against them and that I may destroythem. Then I will make you into a great nation.”

11 But Moses sought the favor of the Lord his God. “Lord,” he said, “why should your anger burn against your people, whom you brought out of Egypt with great power and a mighty hand? 12 Why should the Egyptians say, ‘It was with evil intent that he brought them out, to kill them in the mountains and to wipe them off the face of the earth’? Turn from your fierce anger; relent and do not bring disaster on your people. 13 Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac and Israel, to whom you swore by your own self: ‘I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and I will give your descendants all this land I promised them, and it will be their inheritance forever.’” 14 Then the Lord relented and did not bring on his people the disaster he had threatened." (Exodus 32:1-14)

So the people went against God and yet Moses was able to save them. He was able to save them because Moses found favor with the Lord. I don't know how I am to apply that to my life. but I know one thing, I haven't idolized anything since BarlowGirl. Idolizing something can ruin your life and yes I will admit there have been times in the last year where I have wanted their music back and I want to go to another concert. But I have never grown as much as I have in the last year. When you really let the Lord work in you, amazing things happen. Yes I have had my bad days. But who doesn't we are human, we are fallen. We are going to have bad days. 

But ultimately, BarlowGirl was there for me in a desperate season of my life. But now I don't need them anymore. They have served their purpose and their music and ministry are finished and complete. yes they are still helping people I am sure and I know that will always sing even if its not in a band because singing is in their blood. 

I am glad that God took them away. Yes as much as I miss them and sometimes its still weird to not have new music. I am thankful for all that the Lord has done in the last year as a result of BarlowGirl being gone. He has touched my life in awesome ways that I am so thankful for. 

Things are good for a time. But sometimes, they have run their course and its time for them to go and for God to take over. 

God should be the ultimate authority and nothing, no idol should go above God. Ever. 

If you are struggling with an idol or something in your life that you hold higher than God, I encourage you to pray about it and ask God to help you surrender it to him. Ask him to help you draw closer to him and love him with your mind, body and soul, your entire being. 

You are not alone in this battle. 

Let that Idol go.