From one of my textbooks, “The God of Promise and the Life of Faith” by Scott J. Hafemann:

“…In other words, idolatry is the futile way of thinking that results from mankind’s failure to honor the One who has revealed himself through creation ‘as God.’ To honor something ‘as God’ is to recognize it as sovreign over our lives and to depend upon it to provide for our needs, whether that be a need for food, fulfillment, security, or solace. Idolatry is the practice of seeking the source and provision of what we need either physically or emotionally in someone or something other than the one true God. It is a tragically pathetic attempt to squeeze life out of lifeless forms that cannot help us meet our real needs.”