Falling into it would be like following the crowd, doing what everyone else is doing; going along with societal norms because that is the way you are supposed to do it. All of this is a kind of mindless worship.
God gives us all intelligence so we will use it to think wisely about what we choose to do in life. One of those questions we need to seriously think about is who or what are we worshiping?
Before you protest, all humans worship someone or something. Worship is showing reverence or adoration toward your God (or god) of choice with your time, your resources, your thoughts and action and words. We have a need to worship.
Many choose to worship themselves. They put themselves in the center of their worlds and try to control everything around them. This is where a lot of drama comes up because we make terrible gods for ourselves for we are pretty much powerless when it comes to other people, nature and unexpected events.
Many in our society worship money, power, sex or body perfection. They think about it. They work for it. They fret about it. They bow down to it. But all of these are bad gods too. They will ultimately fail you because they cannot give you lasting inner peace. They cannot cleanse you from your sins. They cannot restore relationships. They have no compassion. They are very shallow when it comes to what matters in life.
When we fall into worship of something or someone we very likely cannot even see the idol. Idols are tricky. They are crafty. And the enemy has been studying humanity for centuries. He and your flesh know what idols to put before you because each of us was uniquely made with our set of passions and joys and triggers for life and talents.
As I was thinking about this stuff today the thought came up -- maybe if we allow God to uncover the idol or idols in our lives and we take time to understand why those particular idols are temptations for us, we may be able to also uncover some of the passions of life God has created us for -- passions and pursuits that will bring such glory to Him and such joy to ourselves.
Don't waste time justifying your idols. Call them for what they are and ask God to help you be free from them. There is no condemnation in Christ. Be honest and turn to Christ. Don't try to defend yourself. Don't get all prideful. Just ask God to help you see the truth and then be free of it.
I have such freedom in Christ. It is a glorious feeling. You can have it too. We can truly be Believers in Jesus Christ and still have unseen idols that we unknowingly worship or if you like it better -- give time too. These are things that take up our thought life; take our resources; make us fret. If you don't feel free in Christ there might be a hidden idol in your life somewhere.
I'll tell you what mine was. It was financial security. I didn't recognize it for what it was until recently. My entire adult life I have had a good and bad relationship with funds. I didn't recognize it for I didn't long for lots of money. I just wanted to pay my bills. I didn't long and still don't long for any kind of luxury -- just a simple life is what I love.
And I love to give and so thankfully I have been blessed to be able to give to God and such. I spurned stinginess. I hate that! I love to be generous for it is so much fun! I love to wear my second-hand clothes and drive my vehicles that don't have payments. I want things simple.
All of this kept my very real idol hidden from me. There were many times I didn't even think about financial security. And even when I did, I have always known (well, for as long as I've been a Christian -- since 1988) that God would provide. That was there for sure in my head. I knew He would no matter what, but there was a little girl voice inside me that whispered to me at times, since I've messed up financially and made our situation worse in the past, that Father God would say, "Jane, this is for your own good (while He shook His finger at me)" and then we'd fall into financial ruin (for my own good -- like bad-tasting medicine we sometimes have to give our kids).
This isn't God! God isn't shaking His finger at me or at you.
God is so faithful and won't stop the work He is doing in us. Thank you Jesus!
Through the process of us selling our acreage in Blunt, South Dakota (still working on it -- sale is pending), God was able to show me that hidden idol of financial security. When I finally recognized it for what it was, I had an Ah-Ha moment! I was able to look that idol in the face and say, "Ha, I see you! I caught you! And now I am kicking you out of my life!"
And freedom and lightness in my soul took over!
Since that happened that darn idol tried to creep in a couple of times. But I just said out loud, "I am not going to bow down to you you cruddy financial security idol" and it had to flee.
I want this lightness, this freedom in my soul for everyone! For you! God doesn't tell us to only worship Him because He is like a child who won't share his toys. No, He doesn't want us to worship anything but Him because absolutely everyone and everything else people worship cannot give freedom, cannot help us become more and more ourselves. Every other god will limit us, will diminish us, will exact payment from us and eat away at our souls.
Go to God. Let Him give you inner freedom. Please!