It is easy to see that you and I have been created to worship. We’re flat-out desperate for it. From sports fanaticism to celebrity tabloids to all the other strange sorts of voyeurisms now normative in our culture, we evidence that we were created to look at something beyond ourselves and marvel at it, desire it, like it with zeal, and love it with affection. Our thoughts, our desires, and our behaviors are always oriented around something, which means we are always worshiping — ascribing worth to — something. If it’s not God, we are engaging in idolatry. But either way, there is no way to turn the worship switch in our hearts off.
— Matt Chandler
J.S. Park: Hospital Chaplain, Skeptical Christian 
I’m thinking the root of our outward worship is often self-worship. We love this thing because of what it does for US, how it makes US feel about ourselves.
If I hit that home run, the crowds cheer. If I watch the game, I’m with friends and the vibes are good. If I’m in the audience clapping, I’m a part of something big and it feels great to belong. If I wear these clothes I’m part of “the IN crowd.”
Sad to say, a lot of “love” is our society is actually “I love this person because I look so good standing beside him” or “she makes ME feel like I’m really special/ feel good about myself.” The root is not love of someone else.
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Yes! I’ll also add that there’s nothing wrong with enjoying some “worldly” things, so long as God is prioritized first. Sometimes guilt-tripping ourselves over harmless activities can cause more harm.
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I would agree with that. As long as the things we’re enjoying hasn’t been set up by the enemy as a snare for us or our children (I Corinthians 6:12) we should be able to enjoy them without guilt.
When Nebuchadnezzar walked in his garden and said, “Is this not that Great Babylon…” the beauty of the garden wasn’t the problem. And God had given him the kingdom. It was the “I did all this for MY glory…” So even legitimate things can be spoiled by pride.
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