What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.
-James 4:1-3 ESV
Is it strange that christians fight? Not only fight, but war? The greek word πόλεμος (translated to quarrels in the ESV) also means to war, battle, or fight. So why were they warring? Their passions were at warring with them. And these passions weren't the good kind, like I'm passionate about sports, or dancing or whatever, but more like lusts, stuff that we shouldn't be desiring.
We all have those things in our lives. Things we ask from God that we know we shouldn't necessarily be asking for. Like, "God, give me the answers to the test, and sorry for playing video games all last night." Or, "Please God, if you do this, then I'll do that." We're not asking right. We're asking selfishly and we're focused on ourselves. Jesus taught us how to pray, and how to ask. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. (Matthew 6:10 ESV)When we start seeking God first in all we ask and do, these wars and fights won't matter. This week, seek God first, and ask for His wisdom and will for your life, and see what happens.
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