Why we do what we Do

When my girls were little, we forced them to read for at least 15 minutes every night. In fact, it was part of their homework for school. At the time, they did not necessarily like to read, because, like any new skill, it was difficult. If we had let them, they probably would have skipped their reading times altogether.

Strangely enough, now that they are older, I often find my girls curled up on their beds reading!

What happened there? How did reading go from something that we had to force them to do, to being something that they freely choose to do? Well, they found out how much fun reading is and how they can benefit from it. In short, they discovered the “joy of reading”.

There is a tremendous difference in reading because you are forced to and reading because you want to and that difference has to do with “motivation”. They have stopped “reading” and have become “readers”.

I believe that there is a spiritual correlation here. Sometimes people go to church, or do “good things” because they think that they “should”. In other words, the actions are done to keep other people, or even God, happy. That is ok for a little while, but as we mature, things should change. Spiritual maturity begins when we are no longer doing things because we are “forced to” but because we “want to”.

Galatians 5:22-23 says, “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control”. This is not a checklist of things to do. It is, however, a list of qualities that will naturally develop in us when we begin to discover how good it is to listen to God.

You see, we cannot force ourselves to be Spiritual people, but, with God’s help, we can grow into the blessings that the Spirit brings.

Why not give it a try? You may even find that you like it.

“Taste and see that the Lord is good” (Psalm 34:8).