James 4:1-4 The Cause of Quarrels & Fights - Devotional Scripture

 

In James 4:1-4, James explains that all this fighting comes from our selfish desires for pleasure that battles within us. Many times we want these desires so bad that we will fight and quarrel in order get them.

Link, my daughter’s adopted dog is a perfect picture of this text. Link was dropped off at a clinic with a broken back. He was a malnourished, abandoned and abused dog that didn’t like anyone. Heather took him home and nurtured him back to health.  Link struggles with fear issues, but once he trusts you he is the must lovable, playful dog you will ever meet. 

Link also has some strong selfish desires.  He craves the pleasure of sleep and he does not like it when he is instructed to get out of bed. This desire for sleep is so powerful that he becomes angry at anyone who gets in the way of his craving to stay in bed and he will growl ferociously at them.

Like Link, the strong selfish desires within us are constantly struggling to be satisfied.  We want what we want and if don’t get it we get mad and are willing to trample and fight anyone who seems to obstruct our progress.

Instead of aggressively grabbing what we want, we should submit ourselves to God, ask Him to help us get rid of our selfish desires and trust Him to give us good things. God delights in granting your heart’s desires.  When we delight ourselves in the Lord, He says He’ll give us the desires of our hearts (Ps. 37:4)