Have you ever heard that God has given us free will? Have you wondered where the concept came from? And what is free will?

Free will is the option to choose which direction we will take. It’s more than deciding what sides to order after selecting the main course on the menu. Or, whether taking the road either to the left or to the right is the fastest way to go. Free will is in relation to our standing with God.

Believe it or not, it started back in the Garden of Eden.

“What?” You may be saying.

That’s right. Adam and Eve were given one rule. Then God allowed them to choose to follow it or not. And since we no longer live in an ideal environment with no cares other than cultivating a self-growing garden, we know they chose not to follow the rule.

Now before you get upset, read the whole account in Genesis 3. Notice that God allows them to report on themselves and then He shows them what must be done to rectify any other wrong choices made. Of course, the natural consequences of their free will took them down a path of hard work and pains.

It’s the same with us. We have the freedom to do what is right or what is not. We can elect to follow God’s leading or favor our own selfish desires. More importantly, we are in charge of accepting the decision that dictates where we spend eternity. There are natural consequences that follow each free will choice made.

God doesn’t want robots who spend time with Him because they are obligated. There’s no love in that. He wants us to freely choose His presence.

I hope that each of us choose Him, then embrace that by spending time worshiping Him, reading His Word and talking to Him. Some days are easier for me to do this than other days. But still I make efforts to relax in my freedom. This is what renews me into knowing that with Jesus there is always hope.