LEARNING DAILY

James 4:1, What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you?

The two questions asked by James were addressed by Pastor Danny Rivers at NorthRock Church this past weekend. He began by defining the terms quarrel (a prolonged dispute, war, or something that cannot be resolved) and fight (something that triggers an argument). Before we look at what Pastor Rivers said, I would like to examine why James asked these questions. In the previous chapter, James had written about the difference between heavenly and earthly wisdom. Earthly or worldly wisdom tells people they are responsible for knowing what they want out of this life and figuring out how to get it. In verses 15 and 16 of that chapter, James writes that earthly wisdom does not come from the Lord but is “demonic and leads to envy and self-seeking, leading to confusion and evil”. That leads to the world’s definition of success, “I will do what it takes to get what I want”.

Pastor Rivers said, “Quarrels and fights are the result of your desires that battle within you”. “For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice.” (James 3:16). Audrey wrote in her sermon notes, “God gives us good desires (happiness, love, etc.), but our selfishness and the enemy twists those good desires.” The result is to fight to get our own way, to blame others for our unhappiness. One’s will collides with another because “you are not getting what you want” (Pastor Rivers). He continued, “I’m trying to get my way, the only way I get my way is for you to give up what you want!” I sure can relate to this as I reflect over conflicts I have had with others – can you?

According to Pastor Rivers we hurt those closest to us (Conflicts) because, “We want to be appreciated, loved, seen, heard, valued, feel important and respected. We want these things from those near us but are not getting them.” James wrote in the next verse, “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.” James is saying Believers living this way are living according to the world’s wisdom. “You are not getting the things you desire! Expectations are not met and that leaves you frustrated. The result is we hurt those closest to us, those not giving us what we want” (Pastor Rivers).

James does identify the real problem in this. Believers did not, do not, trust God to provide what they need. “You do not have, because you do not ask.” They do not even ask! God might say no. The result was being willing to hurt others to get what they wanted instead of asking and waiting on God. Audrey wrote, “As long as you count on someone other than God Himself to fill empty places in you, you will always be empty. As long as you blame others for your unhappiness, you will always be unhappy.”

James 4:3 tells Believers to ask God for what you want/need, but to be careful how you ask, “You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.” You will not receive if you pray in a way that will take away happiness from someone else to fulfill your own selfish desires. Praying, ‘God change ____ ‘, instead of praying ‘change me’ will not work” (Pastor Rivers). Praying to manipulate another to meet your selfish desires is in reality trying to put God in a worldly approach to doing this.

God’s wisdom is calling Believers to a different approach; He wants believers to trust Him to provide for their needs. There is no need to quarrel and fight with others to get what we want. The wisdom from above tells Believers they cannot be friends with both the world and with God. James is very clear here that Believers cannot be driven as the world is – by envy and ambition – to get what they want.