Are you free to see the path that has been set before you? Each one of us that has been chosen by God are purposed for the glory of God, that path is the means to the fulfillment of that obligation, and it is to be of the highest priority to us. Nothing on the journey is to hinder us from serving the Lord.
Trials and tribulations are to be expected, we are to rejoice in them, for they would not come upon us unless the Lord allowed them to. The reasons behind them are not for us to question, save for how we can greater glorify Him in them, but some of those things on the path we put there, and always of our own free will. Satan of course has already placed certain temptations along the way, usually unexpected to a degree, but even then, if we fall to them, we will be held accountable. “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” (1 Cor. 10:13)
The way out is always provided.
But we have been blessed with free will, we do not need Satan’s advances, we do not even need the trials and temptations, we can choose to stray off the path. When Jeremiah said, “I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name. But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay.” (Jer. 20:9) He was not tempted outside of himself to do so, he purposed on his own to quit following the path that was set before him, at least for a moment or two.
Herein is our free will exhibited, we do not need the influence of our adversary, no trials or tribulations, although in part they could be called trials, no external stimuli in any form is necessary, we simply decide to stop any forward momentum on that path.
There is a great mystery here that I do not believe anyone has ever truly been able to fathom, only offer personal analogies to. There is God, there is Satan, and there is us. Our free will can determine who we will serve, and those are our only three choices. “Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:” (Matt. 25:41)
People will be cast into eternal darkness because of their own free will, not because they served Satan, but because they refused to submit to the Almighty.
Free will for created beings my friends only goes so far, whether it be a man or beast, angel or devil, the Lord is Sovereign over all of creation, His creation. He sets the path and allows each of us to decide if we want to follow that path, He does not make alterations to it because we don’t particularly care for that particular way, He sets before us what He has determined is best for His glory. You have the ability to stay the course or move away from it.
“So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do.” (Luke 17:10)
“And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities.” (Luke 19:17)
The decisions you make on this journey to the Celestial Kingdom have eternal consequences, the amount of effort you exhibit is noticed, along with your heart’s intent upon that path. Do you anticipate with joy what the Lord has set before you for today, or do you perhaps not dread it, but find no real desire to accomplish it, seeing it as an obligation that is to be performed because you were told to? After the moment of your salvation there is not a chair waiting for you to sit on, there is a path.