The difference between WANTING and NEEDING

I just found something that was very thought-provoking to me and wanted to share it. It's written by Steve Green, a contemporary Christian singer and songwriter. In a nutshell it's about idolatry which he explains is, "...my attempt to save myself, to secure comfort, control, acceptance and significance apart from God."

Here's the whole passage:"...we are a community of wounded and broken people, being made whole, beginning to discover that our story only has significance as we find our place in the greater narrative of God’s redemptive story. The real war is over your heart and mine. Where will we go to fill the ache, the longing, the restlessness of our broken hearts? While much has been said in the church about repenting of individual sins, what about the deeper root of idolatry? Idolatry is my attempt to save myself, to secure comfort, control, acceptance and significance apart from God. Idols can take the form of food, exercise, clothes, appearance, alcohol, relationships, sex, power, impressive religious fervor, and a host of other things. All idols will eventually fail us. They begin by seducing us (promising fulfillment), then lead to dependence and addiction, then they hurt and mock us."

Wow...how true is that? These addictions seem so benign and they're so easy to hide because they're socially accepted, even encouraged. He ends his journal entry with Zephaniah 3:17 (I've never even seen a quote from that book of the Bible before): "The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing."

Green closes with this:"All your life you know what it is to perform to beloved. You have used your charm to get attention. You have fearfully held on to and served your idols. Rest now. Listen. The One who knows you best and loves you most rejoices over you with singing. Could it be true? Shhh…just listen."

I think the question for me is WHY? Why would a God who knows my deepest, darkest thoughts...who knows the immoral things I WANT to do...knows the lust and the greed and the jealousy that's inside me...WHY WOULD HE STILL LOVE ME?

And why, when I claim to be a Christian and claim to KNOW about God's love and forgiveness, do I continue to serve those idols like food, materialism, sex and my own ego? I'm ashamed of myself...and I do feel seduced and trapped by these things.

I know that REALIZATION is the first step...but how do I break out of this prison? How do I shake it loose? How do I reprogram my brain to STOP WANTING?

Or maybe I just need to realize the difference between WANTING and NEEDING. I've been so self-serving that my wants have become, in my splintered mind, needs...and they're not.