Read

Matthew 6:24 “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other.”

Think

Your heart doesn’t have a couch. It has a throne. And only one thing can sit there at a time.

Jesus makes it plain in Matthew 6:24. You can’t serve two masters. You can try, but eventually, one will take over. One voice will win. One loyalty will rise. The throne only fits one.

That’s the tension underneath the First Commandment: “You shall have no other gods before me.” God isn’t asking to be included. He’s asking to be enthroned.

And that’s where most of us struggle—not in belief, but in authority.

We like God. We believe in him. We pray when things get hard and thank him when things go well. But is he actually in charge? Does he get the first word—and the final say?

That’s the difference between interest and allegiance.

It’s a little like having a CEO on paper but still running the company your own way. You might use the language of submission, but the real decisions are happening elsewhere. And eventually, that kind of divided leadership creates chaos. The same is true for the soul.

When other gods crowd the throne—gods like control, reputation, or approval—you may not notice the shift right away. But it shows up. In your anxiety. In your burnout. In your people-pleasing. In your fear of failure or your need to prove yourself. False gods always demand more.

Jesus wasn’t being metaphorical when he said, “You can’t serve two masters.” He was being merciful. He knew that trying to live under split authority would tear you in two.

So what does it look like to “check your throne room”?

Start here: what do you think about in your unfiltered moments? When your mind wanders, where does it go? Who are you secretly trying to impress this year? What fear is driving your decisions? What gets your energy, your time, your affection?

Those questions don’t lie. They point to what’s ruling your heart.

It might be success. You measure your worth by your output and accomplishments. And while hard work is good, it was never meant to sit on the throne.

It might be the approval of others. You shape your words and your image to keep people happy. And while relationships matter, people were never meant to define your value.

It might be safety. You hold everything tightly—your money, your schedule, your future—trying to control every outcome. But safety without surrender will slowly become suffocation.

Or maybe it’s comfort. You run from hard things. You numb your pain instead of bringing it to God. You settle for “okay” instead of growing toward freedom.

Here’s what all of these have in common: they’re throne thieves. They may start out as harmless habits or desires, but slowly, they rise. They demand. They occupy space that belongs to God.

And when that happens, even our worship can become warped. We sing songs, but our trust is elsewhere. We quote Scripture, but our hope is in results. We obey—but only in the areas that still feel comfortable.

It’s like building a throne for God but keeping a second one off to the side, “just in case.” And the longer it stays there, the more tempting it becomes to sit in it yourself.

But God isn’t interested in partial loyalty. He’s not signing up to be co-pilot. He doesn’t do spiritual timeshares. He’s the King—or he’s not in the room.

That may sound intense, but remember—this is the God who rescued you. He’s not on a power trip. He’s on a rescue mission. He knows that every other god will break you, use you, and leave you wanting. But he won’t.

So checking your throne room isn’t about guilt—it’s about clarity. It’s about making sure the One who deserves the seat still has it. Because the truth is, whatever sits on the throne of your heart will shape everything else. Your thoughts. Your choices. Your identity. Your relationships. You can’t afford to be casual about it.

God doesn’t ask for the throne because he’s fragile. He asks for it because he’s the only One strong enough to hold it. And when he’s in his rightful place, everything else finds its place too.

Apply

Take a throne check today. Quiet your heart and ask God to reveal who or what has been ruling lately. Pay attention to your motives, your thoughts, your fears. Where are you hesitant to give him control? Where have you set up a second throne? Don’t rush past this. Let the Holy Spirit show you gently, clearly. And when he does, don’t just move the idol—remove it. Re-center your worship. Reclaim the throne for the only One who deserves it.

Pray

God, I don’t want to share your throne with anything else. You deserve all of me—not just my words, but my loyalty. Show me what’s been creeping in. Help me see the idols I’ve excused or ignored. And when I see them, help me remove them. I want you at the center—nothing beside you, nothing above you. In Jesus’ name. Amen.