Willingness

 but I preferred to do nothing without your consent in order that your goodness might not be by compulsion but of your own accord.
Philemon 1:14 ESV
https://bible.com/bible/59/phm.1.14.ESV

God doesn't want us to feel compelled to do good. He wants us to do good of our own accord. God isn't a hard taskmaster; He's a loving Heavenly Father.

Because God is like that with us, we should be like that with others. Paul didn't want to oblige Philemon to keep his runaway slave Onesiphorus with Paul, because Onesiphorus was helpful to Paul. He wanted reconciliation between Philemon and Onesiphorus.

The new testament is anti slavery, but it's also pragmatic. Paul didn't lead a Spartacist revolt against slavery. What he did do was to tell Philemon to welcome Onesiphorus back as a brother. Onesiphorus could serve Philemon, but of his own accord rather than under compulsion.

We need to be convinced in our own minds of the goodness of goodness. It's no good doing something because we feel obliged, that's not a good enough motivation. We need to be happy and willing to do good.

'Heavenly Father, we're grateful that for the joy set before Him, Jesus endured the cross for us. Help us to do good for You, not out of compulsion or to earn Your love, but as a joyful response it. Amen!'

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