(part 2 of a two-part post…catch up on part one here)

Think about acclaim. What we want, what we desire that this idol promises to deliver is to be noticed, praised, and adored. The idol of acclaim is about taking glory that belongs only to God. The antidote begins with worship – to give glory back to God.

Repent: Repentance in this case looks like giving back to God what is rightfully his: worship. Glory. Renown.
Believe: Believe that the glory that comes from God is better, richer, and more lasting than the transient glory that comes from man (John 12:43).

Repent: Be humbled as you realize you have attempted to use the ministry and gifts God has given you to pilfer from him the fame and renown that he and he alone deserves.
Believe: Be lifted up as you realize and experience afresh your unalterable identity as son or daughter of the King who died to make rebels and glory thieves his kids.

Worship to repent. Worship to believe.

And I’m not just talking about a “lifestyle” of worship. A true lifestyle of worship begins with the specific practice of worship. For those of us who wrestle for our lives with the idolatrous whore of acclaim, then we need to build into our lives consistent habits or rhythms of worship, both corporate and private.

We need a consistent practice of seeing the greatness and beauty of God with the eyes of our hearts then pouring out praise with extravagance and abandon. This is the only thing that will begin to free us from ultimately worshipping ourselves or seeking glory from others instead of seeking glory for God.

If acclaim is your idol of choice:

-Begin the day with worship. Don’t rest till your study, meditation, or prayer leads to adoration.

-Command your soul to worship. Don’t wait for the music or the feeling. David did this multiple times throughout the Psalms, just look up “O my soul”.

-Practice being more expressive. Shout, clap, dance. You have to retrain your body, mind, and soul. Learn again the language of adoration. This is a fight for your heart’s affection.

-Memorize Psalm 16 (“In your presence there is fullness of joy.”) Psalm 42 (“As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God.”) or Psalm 63 (“My soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you.”)

A great place to start, right now, is to sing, pray, and meditate on these words from Be Thou My Vision:

Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise,
Thou mine Inheritance, now and always:
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,
High King of heaven, my Treasure Thou art.

***Jonathan McIntosh is the founder and pastor of Christ City Church, a new church planting in Memphis, Tennessee. He lives in Midtown with Ashley, his wife of 10 years, and two daughters Cora and Nola. Follow him on Twitter here.