Don’t Be Split in Two
-An exclusive excerpt from Allen’s new book-
It’s one thing to love what we do. It’s another to look to it for our validation and salvation. That’s really what an idol is—anything we look to for life or success.
The Old Testament prophet Isaiah reveals how easily it can happen. The tale begins simply enough. A woodsman plants and nurtures trees in the forest, using some of the wood for a fire to warm himself and bake his bread (Isaiah 44:15). So far, so good. But then the artisan does something shocking with the rest of the wood:
Part of the tree he burns to roast his meat and to keep him warm and fed and well content, and with what’s left he makes his god: a carved idol! He falls down before it and worships it and prays to it. “Deliver me,” he says. “You are my god!” (44:16-17 TLB)
Like Dr. Jekyll transforming into Mr. Hyde or, for Batman fans, picture Two-Face. Like a man divided, the woodsman is pulled in two radically different directions. As he splits a single piece of wood, he also—through his choices—splits himself in two.
He initially uses part of the wood and his talents for something good, but then uses the rest for something destructive—making a false god. It’s worth noticing that this shift happens only after he’s well fed and warm. That’s when he turns his back on the Creator and places his hopes in his own creation. It’s what happens when our heart is divided, partially focused on God…and partially focused on making life work through our gifting.
I’ll give Isaiah the last word:
The poor, deluded fool feeds on ashes; he is trusting what can never give him any help at all. Yet he cannot bring himself to ask, “Is this thing, this idol that I’m holding in my hand, a lie?” (Isaiah 44:20 TLB)
Your creativity has the potential to become an idol when you look to it for validation or place your hopes in it rather than God. When that happens, you are trusting what can never give you any help at all. The only way to avoid this trap is to give God all of your heart and all of your gifting. What you release to God releases its hold on you. You no longer own it…and it no longer owns you.
(From The Creativity Glitch: How to Stop Being Stuck, Find Your Groove, & Create with God.Copyright © 2026 Allen Arnold.)
This reading was crafted to encourage your pursuit of story and creativity with God. Your donation makes this crowd-funded initiative possible. You can support it via PAYPAL (or by check to Allen Arnold at PO Box 62841, Colorado Springs, CO 80962).
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