Doubt & Devotion

James 4:1-3 What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? ² 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. ³ You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. 

The greatest conflicts in the life of a believer do not begin outside but within. Quarrels and fights are not primarily about broken relationships. Oftentimes, they are rooted in desires that wage war inside the human heart. Whether selfish ambition or lust for pleasure, these desires invade the soul. They set up camp, and before you know it, they are influencing your attitudes and motives, causing you to act in ways that disrupt your peace.

Envy, jealousy, favoritism, hatred—all these can grow so strong that they become unstoppable and overflow into conflict. They may bring satisfaction for a while, but over time, they cause turmoil. They fight against the believer’s conscience and resist God’s will. And once they take over, even disciplines and practices that one would consider spiritual become driven by self instead of surrender.

Our real fight is not with those around us. It’s not with our brothers and sisters in Christ, colleagues, or neighbors. The real battle is with our inner desires. As believers, our aim is to be conformed into the likeness of our Lord and Savior. When that is replaced with the pursuit of pleasure, recognition, or control, our souls lose rest. Afterwards, our prayers lose their effectiveness as our relationship with God and people lose its peace. The battle lines only shift when God’s will is sought above the self. 

If you want to receive what you ask for, do not allow your prayers to be shaped by your selfish cravings. They will remain unanswered for your own good since God refuses to fuel desires that destroy his children. Make the service of God your supreme end. It is only when your desires start to align with God’s purposes that you will receive the answer to your prayers. When your motives are purified and you begin to embrace God’s will, conflicts disappear, peace is restored, and you receive what your heart desires.

Dear Lord, reveal the desires within me that are not in line with your purposes. Purify my motives and teach me to desire what is in accordance with your will. Bring peace where there has been conflict and help me to trust You that my heart will be fully surrendered to You. Amen.

Eric James Estante

Eric has a deep passion for teaching God’s Word. He holds a degree in Theology from Central Philippine University and is currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Guidance and Counseling. He served as an associate pastor in his local church in Iloilo City for four years. Eric currently volunteers with his wife, Joey, teaching biblical marriage principles at their church in Alabang. They have one son.