I’m a firm believer that what you do shapes you. I’ve talked about that before. Your daily habits impact your thinking and your decisions.

When you pray regularly, you’re more likely to see God at work in your daily life. And when you serve or volunteer regularly, you’re more likely to feel like the hands and feet of Jesus in your daily life.

That’s one of the reasons why worshiping God is so important.

When we think of worship we often think about doing so with other people at a set time. That’s important. Jesus did it. The early church did it. Christians have done it for thousands of years. We can also worship—albeit in a bit of a different way—while strolling through the park singing a praise song or hymn.

Today, my point is this: If you are not consciously worshiping God, you are subconsciously worshiping something else.

I think that’s why idolatry is such a problem throughout the Bible. The second command given to Moses was, “You shall have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:3).

Many people think it was only an ancient problem. But it’s a contemporary problem too. We humans are programmed to worship something; and if we don’t worship God, we will fill that need with something else… with something less, with something distracting.

For ancient peoples maybe it was a statue. But for moderns like us, it can be material success, or our looks, or money, or certain achievements, or comfort, or our families, or even ourselves.

That’s why worship keeps us on track. It keeps our eyes on God, helps us maintain perspective about life, and roots us in a Rock who cannot fail.

So worship God.

If you are not consciously worshiping God, you are subconsciously worshiping something else.

By Matthew Ruttan

–“Help when it hurts.” That’s a new teaching series I’ll be starting this Sunday. No one gets a free pass through life. But we are promised God’s presence and help along the way. Click here for a 48-second YouTube video I made about what to expect.

–Bible quotes are from the NIV.