Some days I don’t want to do what’s right.

Do you ever feel this way?

It’s okay to raise your hand. Mine’s right up there with yours, although I have to confess that admitting it makes me feel squirmy and small.

You’d think that after almost forty years of being a Christian, doing the right thing would get easier. In many ways, it has, but there are still times when I don’t want to.

Just being real here.

I had one of these days recently. Get out of bed to fix breakfast for my husband? Nope, it wasn’t on the top of my Oh boy I get to do this again today list. Even though I knew that after breakfast we’d read a snippet of a devotional book and pray together, and it would be one of the best parts of the day, I still didn’t want to. My flesh wanted to stay horizontal beneath the covers. When we had young children at home, my husband was working 12-hour days, and we were homeschooling, I felt this way at least once a month week.

Some days I don’t want to read my Bible. Other days I don’t want to be unselfish, patient, or kind. The alternatives are mighty tempting.

I suspect I’m not alone.

That old boyfriend who sent you a private message? Part of you doesn’t want to say no. Somedays are bad enough that you don’t want to come home. And at night, when the kids have been especially unruly and your spouse doesn’t seem to appreciate you? You think about walking away and never looking back.

Some days you don’t want to go to church. Or to work. Or to the nursing home. You don’t want to give, serve, pray, or smile. You don’t want to honor your vows, keep your promises, or train your children.

Some days we just don’t want to do the right thing.

But by God’s good grace, we do.

Thank you, Jesus, for helping us.

Today I can think of seven good reasons to do the right thing. I bet you can add a few more. I’ll begin with the negative and move to the positive.

7 Reasons to Do the Right Thing

Because disobedience is sin. “Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin” (James 4:17). When I know what I should do and choose to disobey, there’s only one word to describe my action—sin.

Because God punishes sin.  “. . . because the LORD disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in” (Proverbs 3:12). God loves me, and He will punish me for disobeying. His motives are pure. He wants the best for me. Sin and its consequences cannot produce the good life I desire.

Because the natural consequences of disobedience will hurt me. Skipping my Bible reading, eating junk food, and being lazy come with consequences. And they’re not good.

Because doing the right thing lays the foundation for a good life. “No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it” (Hebrews 12:11).

Because God sees what I do. ”God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them” (Hebrews 6:10).

Because God will reward me—in this life and in the next. “His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord” (Matthew 25:21).

Because I want to honor God and make him smile. Jesus said, “If you love me, you will obey what I command” (John 14:15). Most days I love Jesus more than I love myself. Because I love him, I want to please him. Love is the greatest motivator of them all.

I’ve never regretted doing the right thing, but I’ve often regretted not doing it. Today we’ll get to decide whether or not to do the right thing. For these seven reasons and many more, I hope we all say yes.

Now it’s your turn. What helps you do the right thing, even when it’s a battle? Share your thoughts below and join the conversation.

Does Your Prayer Life Need Refreshing?

We know Bible reading and prayer are vital parts of our faith, but what happens when our prayer lives become stagnant and our quiet times grow stale? We need something more than just familiar verses and the command to pray. In Refresh Your Prayers, Uncommon Devotions to Unlock Power and Praise, Lori Hatcher shares relevant, five-minute devotions that spotlight unusual prayer verses in the Bible.

Each devotion ends with a Power Point (a spiritual truth to empower your faith) and a Praise Prompt (a short prayer designed to magnify God and make your faith soar). The Live It Out section challenges you to apply what you’ve learned right now for immediate change.

If you’re tired of your all-too-quiet quiet time, Refresh Your Prayers is the answer.

The UNcommon Book on Prayer – Unusual Devotions to Unlock Power and Praise

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