1 Sam 15:22 says "And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams."
It seems as if OBEDIENCE is what God desires even though the freedom of will is an option. Although there is a sacrifice in being obedient because you essentially sacrifice your free will, it seems that these "catch 22" situations are a test of whether we bow to the Lord's will or whether we exercise free will, but ultimately in the situation of Adam and Eve, they chose free will ultimately resulting in consequences of that choice. Just as in the world, my free will tells me not to pay taxes, but the will of the govt is that I do like an obedient citizen otherwise I will have to deal with the consequence of my disobedience. You would think that free will and the exercise of choice should be rewarded, but I guess that there's some merit to being humble and obedient.