When I requested this book, I didn’t know just how much it would resonate with me and with what God has been showing me lately. I underlined SO many quotes!

Empty Promises addresses the issue of worship and asks who we are truly worshipping. Humans were created to worship, but we often misdirect our worship and become dissatisfied. This is a problem for Christians AND non-Christians. Our culture presents us with so many options that are “guaranteed” to lead us to happiness and fulfillment…but all of these things are lies. There is only one thing (person) that can completely satisfy us, and that is Jesus.

The author breaks down the issue of idol creation (worshipping something/someone other than God and expecting it/them to do what only God can do) into several categories, and it’s hard not to find yourself within one or more of them. Some of the categories are beauty, money, religion, achievement, etc.

One of my many underlined quotes is this:

He knows about the inner emptiness inside of us. He knows about that ache that haunts every one of us. He knows this longing for purpose, worth, significance, acceptance, security, love, and beauty pulsates through our veins, and we will stop at nothing (including building our own golden calves) to fulfill those longings. He knows, remember, because he put those longings there to direct us to him.

We are so prone to taking control of things and handling them on our own instead of trusting God, and to being impatient instead of waiting on God’s timing. This book encourages the reader to put things into perspective and remember who God is and what He is capable of doing.

I loved it and had a hard time putting it down. It was SO refreshing to read and it encouraged me to continue to fight against everything the world tries to convince me is true. Pete Wilson is very real, very honest, and I loved that he is writing this out of his own struggle because it never comes across as “preaching”…rather, it is a pastor’s heart sharing his struggle with us so that we might avoid his same mistakes. Definitely check it out.

I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.