Not Compelled

Alma 42:27 Therefore, O my son, whosoever will come may come and partake of the waters of life freely; and whosoever will not come the same is not compelled to come; but in the last day it shall be restored unto him according to his deeds.

This might be a slight exaggeration, but I think I have a new favorite scripture. I like to think that God extends to everyone the invitation to repent and come unto Him and receive blessings, but it remains just that; an invitation. God doesn't force people to obey Him. We all have to make our own choices in like. God just gives us advice and encouragement to help us live the best life, if we choose to. He leaves the choice up to us.

Of course, our choice will have consequences, like most choices do, but I think that most of those consequences, good and bad, are just natural consequences, not necessarily divine rewards or punishments for doing the right or wrong things. If we touch a hot stove, we'll get burned, because that's what happens when people touch hot stoves. It's not a divine punishment for breaking the commandment "Thou Shalt Not Touch a Hot Stove." God just tells us how the world works and advises us on how to do our best in it.

I'm grateful that God gives us the freedom to choose our own path rather than using His power to compel us to choose one path over the other. And I'm also grateful that God tells us the consequences of various choices so we can make informed decisions. Of course, God knows what choices we should make, and He urges us to make those choices, but He ultimately leaves the decision to us, and I am very grateful for that.