“What causes fights among us?” asks James in 4:1.
“That’s easy, James,” we reply. “Uhhh, difficult and abrasive individuals. Demanding, needy spouses and children. Miscommunication and poor listening skills. Contentious issues. Basically, the answer lies somewhere among specific people or situations.”
James answers, “No. Wrong.”
The cause of our conflicts is in our hearts, our unmet desires. These unmet desires progress from stage to stage. And so, “I want … ” becomes “I demand …” which becomes “I judge …” which becomes “I punish …” eventually causing conflicts in our relationships.
These unmet desires become idolatrous desires that eventually ruin us and our relationships with others. Ultimately, these desires damage the greatest relationship of all, our relationship with our God.
Only when we come before God and allow Him to satisfy our unmet needs are we able to find peace in our hearts with Him, with ourselves, and with others.
Posted by odpcsermons 