Vivian Bricker challenges us to take inventory of the things we may have unknowingly placed above God. Drawing from Exodus 32, she explores how even good things—like careers, relationships, or personal goals—can become modern-day idols if they consume our attention and affection. With personal reflection and biblical truth, this devotional reminds us that true worship belongs to God alone, and that letting go of false gods leads us back into alignment with His purpose.

✨ Highlights

• How modern-day idols aren’t golden calves, but often good things misprioritized

• Why worry and anxiety can subtly become false gods in our lives

• The spiritual cost of putting anything above God, even unintentionally

• A biblical reflection on Exodus 32 and God’s response to Israel’s disobedience

• Encouragement to surrender idols and return to wholehearted devotion

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What false gods have you had to surrender? Whether it’s success, control, or even anxiety—your story could help someone else find freedom. Share how God led you back to Him and tag @LifeAudioNetwork using #ReturnToTruth to join the conversation and encourage others to keep God first.

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Full Transcript Below:

Forgetting Any False “Gods”

By Vivian Bricker 

“Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Go down, because your people, whom you brought up out of Egypt, have become corrupt. 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’” (Exodus 32:7-8). 

There are many false gods in this world today. While we often think of false gods as golden calves, shrines, or other created objects, they can also be in the form of our career, relationships, or appearance. Anything can become an idol if we place it above God. This also includes good things like a spouse, children, or parents. The moment we put something or someone above God, it becomes the “god” in our lives and can cause us to turn away from Christ. As one can imagine, this is not our purpose in life.

Our purpose in life is to know the Lord, love the Lord, and make Him known. We won’t be able to do this if we have put other things above the Lord. For example, if we have made our career the god of our lives, we will make it our priority and focus above all else, placing God on the back burner. 

Rather than serving the Lord and equipping other believers to know Him, we will become obsessed with our job, deadlines, and how to keep climbing the company ladder. While nothing is wrong with wanting to be successful or enjoy our jobs, we don’t need to place them as more important than God. God is greater than our careers because He is the One who has created us, saved us, and loves us. Our career or any other “god” we have created in our life does not do these things. 

Something that I have struggled with is making worry and anxiety the gods of my life. We might not think of these things as false gods; however, when we establish them as our sole focus, they have become our “gods.” You see, I tend to get overwhelmed, stressed, and worried whenever anything goes wrong, and I lose sight of God. I hyper-fixate on the problem, and all I can do is worry and be anxious. 

God has shown me many times that this is wrong, yet it is something that I still struggle with. Whenever worry or anxiety starts raising its head as the false gods in my life, I turn to God in prayer, ask Him to give me peace, and to calm my anxious heart. Something about simply asking the Lord to do this brings peace to my heart and gives me the relief that I need. Therefore, whatever has taken the place above God in your life, choose to give it over to Him and rest in His forgiveness. 

Intersecting Faith & Life:

Exodus 32:7-8 says, “Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Go down, because your people, whom you brought up out of Egypt, have become corrupt. 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.’” The broader context of this passage is that Moses had ascended to the top of Mount Sinai to receive the Ten Commandments written on stone and had left Aaron and the Israelites to wait for him.

He wasn’t gone for very long when the Israelites engaged in pagan revelry and created a golden calf, which they worshipped and presented offerings to in the form of praise (Exodus 32:1-35). God knew what was happening, and His anger burned against them. Moses descended the Mountain, addressed the people, and soon his anger also burned. The false god they created in the form of a golden calf showed Israel’s disobedient heart. They had turned away from God and made their own “god.”

Israel was punished severely for this as the Levites who spoke allegiance to God were commanded by Moses to strike down their own brothers, sisters, and families (Exodus 32:27-29). God also strikes the remaining Israelites with a plague (Exodus 32:35). This shows the severity of following other gods. It will not end well, as it will only cause separation between us and God. As believers, we need to surrender any false gods we have created and return to the true God of the Bible.

What false gods have you created? How have false gods led you further away from the true God? How do you think God feels when we create false gods?

Further Reading:

Exodus 20:3-6

Isaiah 44:9-20

Malachi 3:7

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