James 4:1-3
1 What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? 2 You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. 3 When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.
As Shakespeare once wrote, “The lady doth protest too much, methinks”. However, many people have warped this saying into, “Methinks thou doth protest too much!” Either way, it points the finger at someone, and remember, when you point your finger there are three more pointing right back at you.
Today’s verses are reminding us of those very things. Quarrels and fights take two people. I can also guarantee that in most cases neither person is 100% right or wrong. Why would I say that? We are all human. Into every situation, we bring our baggage, our pride, and our faults. We fight because of a desire we have, even if that desire is to just be right.
Truth time. I remember being in a fight with my husband. I honestly, don’t remember what the fight was about or how it started. What I do remember is praying to God asking Him to change Todd. I also remember God answering me quite loudly, “What about you?” I wasn’t asking the right prayer. I certainly wasn’t asking with the right heart. I changed my prayer. I prayed that God would change our hearts and open our ears to each other.
You want to stop fighting with others. Take a long look in the mirror and pray God will open your heart and your ears. Put down your desires and search out God’s.
Lord, help remember that to open my eyes and heart when differences arise. ~amen
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