Why do we fight?
What causes quarrels among us?
Don’t they come from our desires that battle within us?
“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. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.” – James 4:1-3
There is much pain caused by our desires and this is one very important reason for Grace-Fullness.
Grace-Fullness says “Love God and Love one another”- that’s it; this is all that matters, focus on this and forget anything that is not about these 6 simple words.
If our sole focus is on Love then our desires create an environment for me to grow “Love God” and for others to grow “Love one another.” Having this as a sole focus is a growing process and that is a spiritual path that we develop as we let go and let God.
The desires that battle within us at least from my experience are the things that we lean on for pain alleviation instead of leaning on Jesus for pain elimination. Once “in Christ” these desires are still there and they are not a sin (sin is based on law and “in Christ” we are “by Grace” not “under the law”) but they are distracting, divisive and an opposing force to Love – and they are also a catalyst for growth!
How?
As I am humbled by the fact that I am unable to defeat a distraction or desire or something and as I accept that only He can heal me and Love others through me, faults and all- I grow. In other words don’t push but pull and accept- when you are falling, dive! Dive into His ocean of Love and healing and rely on Him each moment to heal you. Healing for people like me is constantly going on each moment I breathe.
In our weakness He is strong and His strength is seen by others as He works through us. Ask with the motive of Love and watch the Red Sea part for what is needed to make something happen!