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.
4 You adulterous people,[a]
don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God?
Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an
enemy of God. 5 Or do you think Scripture says without reason that he jealously longs for the spirit he has caused to dwell in us? 6 But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says:
“God opposes the proud
but shows favor to the humble.”
but shows favor to the humble.”
7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.
All of these words speak to my desires - which are earthly indeed! I am guilty of becoming a friend of the world so I have sinned greatly against God as in the words of James have become an enemy of God. I need to humble myself, submit to God, "grieve, mourn and wail" out of desperation to have God give me more grace that I don't deserve.
My Prayer: Lord, You are awesome in all that You are and all that You do. Your creation is incredible, Your love is boundless and so is Your grace. I confess to You now that I am guilty of laziness and of being a friend of this world and an enemy of Yours. I know you have previously forgiven me Lord Jesus and You have blessed me beyond imagination - for all of this I am thankful. Yet I come to You now empty handed with nothing I can say or do but to beg for Your forgiveness. I also ask of You to purify and transform my heart and my life - take my please as I desire to be fully Yours Lord Jesus.
