Free to choose

I have had cause to reflect lately on the gift we have been given to choose. I was reading in the scriptures about the agency Adam and Eve were given in the garden of Eden, "..thou mayest choose for thyself.." (Moses 3:17) This scripture coupled with several conversations as of late with friends and choices that they have made have caused me to ponder on this great gift. There are a lot of different choices in our daily living, but all of our choices boil down to whether we choose to follow God or not: plain and simple.

I was listening to a talk by Elder Neal A Maxwell where he spoke of the joy that our Father in Heaven wants us to have. He continues, "We cannot do that UNLESS we are free to choose...neither can we have joy unless we are willing to be spiritually submissive day in, and day out, and unless we exercise that grand and glorious freedom to choose..." (Freedom to Choose?, BYU Devotional, March 2004)

Our obedience to God's laws is our choice, it has to come from us. God will not force it upon us. He also said "Choosing to be obedient is a choice. Jesus chose to let His will be 'swallowed up in the will of the Father' (Mosiah 15:7)...He will not force us."

I am grateful for such a precious gift I have been given and the price that was paid that I might be able to make choose for myself how I live my life. I am grateful for the peace that comes when I do make good choices.