Do I Have To?

"Do I have to?"

We have all heard that response.  And we have all given that response.  Generally to something that wouldn't be our first choice. 

At school a student didn't feel like reading.  He asked, "Do I have to?"

I heard my principal respond to this question with this reply: "You won't have to if you want to.  Find your why."

She elaborated.  She said that there are going to be lots of times when we have things that need to be done that we might initially not feel like doing.  But if we can find our "why" or a good motivation and make it something we WANT to do it greatly changes our attitude and the outcome.

I pondered on that for a couple of days. 

It drew me back to a conversation I had with a group of friends a couple of months ago.  One friend said that while she spent a lot of time in her faith's church buildings she never thought it meant she had to be "good."  

Another said that she followed her faith's rules exactly because she was afraid of not being "good".  They asked me what my motivation was for following my own faith's tenets.  

We are all at different places in our faith journeys and  I certainly understood the experience of good/bad classification, but after thinking for a few moments I answered that I follow them because I love God and I trust Him.  It hasn't been a perfect road and I make lots of mistakes but it's my why.  

Sometimes I have obeyed with some resistance.  Sometimes I have obeyed hoping for a specific blessing.  But it is much easier to live the gospel when it is something I want to do not that I have to do.  Consider these examples:

We have to have family scripture study. 

Or

We want to have family scripture study so we can have guidance from the Lord in how to do things. 

I have to keep the word of wisdom.

Or

I want to keep the word of wisdom- I don't want to be controlled by physical vices. 

I have to forgive.

Or

I want to forgive so that I can lose these negative feelings.

I have to serve others.

Or

I want to serve others to show my love for Jesus Christ who has done so much for me.

The whys may be very different but the choice is ours.  And the outcome depends upon our choices. 

President Joy D. Jones counseled, "The first of the Ten Commandments reiterates this divine wisdom: “I am the Lord thy God. … Thou shalt have no other gods before me.”  The placement of this commandment helps us understand that if we place Him as our main priority, everything else will ultimately fall into place—even our service to others. When He takes the preeminent position in our lives by our deliberate choice, then He is able to bless our actions to our good and to the good of others.

The Lord counseled, “Look unto me in every thought.”  And each week we covenant to do just that—to “always remember him.”  Can such a godly focus apply in everything we do? Can performing even a menial task become an opportunity to demonstrate our love and devotion to Him? I believe it can and will.  We can make each item on our to-do list become a way to glorify Him. We can see each task as a privilege and opportunity to serve Him, even when we are in the midst of deadlines, duties, or dirty diapers."

So the next time you find yourself asking, "Do I have to?"  Remember-  you won't have to if you want to; find your why.