Achieving Otherworldly Fulfillment by Substituting Astrology with Theology

By Dan Delzell, Christian Post Contributor

Do you look to astrology hoping to see positive things in your future? It is natural to want good things in your life. Unfortunately, astrology offers plenty of false hope, while providing no tangible benefits.

Trusting in astrology is like buying a lottery ticket, where the odds are stacked heavily against you. Far-fetched wagers do nothing to give you any real and lasting peace of mind.

You see, relying upon the stars, the Sun, the Moon, and the planets to predict your future is a counterfeit method of securing true contentment. Astrology is a superstitious ideology that is unable to deliver any practical help. It makes big claims but comes up empty in the results department.

Astrology provides an emotional jolt, as well as a spiritual buzz. The problem is that the buzz is not rooted in truth, but in superstition and divination.

The “apostles Barnabas and Paul” told people in their day: “We are bringing you good news, telling you to turn from these worthless things to the living God” (Acts 14:14-15).

If you have been seduced by the empty promises of astrology, you are not alone. Millions of Americans have been lured in by its smooth talk and wishful thinking.

“According to Pew Research data, an estimated six out of ten American adults accept at least one ‘new age belief,’ and that includes seeing a psychic.” As many as 70 million Americans read their horoscope daily, in spite of the fact that dabbling with your horoscope tends to create a growing hunger for more of the same.

Serena Lopez writes: “Moon transitions, Geminis and Mercury retrograde are terms that might have taken over your social media. Every day it seems like there is a new cosmic change to explain why you’re most likely going to land that job you really wanted or meet your soulmate at a work party.”

One of the many misleading aspects of astrology is that you assume you are merely a passive participant. Nothing could be further from the truth. There is no such thing as a passive participant in astrology.

And in case you haven’t noticed, astrology is addictive. The minute you place an ounce of confidence in astrology’s wild predictions, you have taken a significant step toward getting hooked. And you quickly start to feel driven to rely upon these celestial speculations as a way of feeling better about yourself and your future.

The National Library of Medicine reported last year: “Case studies on ‘fortune-telling addiction’ have conceptualized it as a possible behavioral addiction and have reported symptoms such as distress, cravings, etc.”

Kimberly Erskine became very distressed after her life began to revolve around astrology. She writes,

“I was 20 years old. I was a ‘Christian,’ but I didn’t really ‘know’ God. If you asked me what my religion was, I would tell you Christianity in a heartbeat, but astrology would have been a more honest answer, since that is where I put my hope, faith and trust, and what I based most of my life on. It was dangerous, stupid, and wrong. Now that I am deeper in my faith and my understanding of Christ, I have since given up on astrology. It’s not real and I have no business basing my life around it. Christ is the center of my life. The Bible warns time and time again about the dangers of astrology and mysticism. Leviticus 19:26 states: ‘Do not practice divination or sorcery.’”

Kimberly now warns those who are tempted to give their heart to astrology: “You need to choose between God and the stars. You can’t follow both without serious consequences.”

If you are addicted to astrology, you have no idea how much supernatural contentment you would experience by immersing yourself in theology rather than astrology. I am talking about “the peace of God, which transcends all understanding” (Philippians 4:7). Everyone wants it, but relatively few people know how to receive it.

If you would like to experience the peace of God, then carefully follow this biblical approach.

First, “Cast all your anxiety on God because He cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7). This involves much more than saying a few prayers now and then. It calls for an entirely new way of thinking and living!

Rather than getting yourself all worked up over your astrological fantasies, begin to place Christ at the center of everything in your life. Trust Him to forgive your sins. Rely upon Him to guide your daily life. And believe that He will provide all that you need for godliness and contentment.

Next, dive into Scripture. Begin reading at least two chapters of the Bible everyday. You could start with the Gospel of John, the book of Psalms, and Romans. Ask the Holy Spirit to teach you the meaning of the text. Meditate upon individual words and verses. Let these golden nuggets of truth sink deep into your soul. Trust God to take care of the details in your life. And renounce any reliance upon your horoscope and the stars.

If you replace astrology with theology, you will begin to experience the peace of God which transcends all understanding. There is nothing better than walking closely with Jesus, who is “the bright Morning Star” (Revelation 22:16). Astrology cannot deliver inner peace to your soul, but Christ can certainly do so.

After all, He is the One who created all of the estimated 200 billion trillion stars in the universe. Astronomers estimate there exist roughly 10,000 stars for each grain of sand on Earth.

And it was the Creator of the stars who said: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).

You were not created to spend your few years on this planet in groundless daydreaming. The trustworthy promises of the Lord are a thousand times more satisfying than the flimsy predictions of your horoscope. And so, you would be wise to kick that counterfeit ideology to the curb.

If you replace astrology with theology, you won’t regret it! Many Christians have already done so, and the result is supernatural contentment.

“Come near to God and He will come near to you” (James 4:8).

Dan Delzell is the pastor of Redeemer Lutheran Church in Papillion, Nebraska.