Moral agency.

I really enjoyed our lesson in Relief Society yesterday on moral agency. While discussing addiction, someone made the comment that she wished reading the scriptures was as addicting as a great novel or a three-hour indulgence in solitaire. The teacher then surmised that perhaps it is possible to become addicted to the scriptures when one is so entrenched in the habit and reinforced by the light and truth it brings into one's life. I failed to comment, because the discussion steered in a different direction, but here are my thoughts on that:
The scriptures will never be addicting. Why? Because our Heavenly Father wants us to choose Him, against all odds. If we were to just "fall into" the habit of reading the scriptures as one easily falls prey to addiction by indulging (just once, in some cases), then everyone would read the scriptures all the time. Things that are addicting are that way because they are easy. Yes, the knowledge and peace we gain when we diligently study the scriptures are great reinforcement and motivate us to seek a habit of reading them, but that novel on my nightstand will always be more tempting to pick up than my scriptures because it is mindless, it doesn't require as much effort on my part.
It will always be more difficult to do what is right - but, as we all know, the rewards for doing hard things far surpass the momentary pleasure of doing what's easy. I know that. And to me, picking up those scriptures when so many other things beckon me is infinitely worth it.