REDUCING CONFLICT AND STRIFE IN OUR LIVES

BIBLE PASSAGE:
What causes fights and quarrels among you? 
Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? 
(James 4:1)

MEDITATION:
There is a lot of strife in the world today.
We see it in family relationships, jobs, social circles, etc.
And of course, strife adds to the stress and worry in our lives.
When we try to determine the cause of strife, we can point to things like 
power struggles between countries, corporate greed, anger, rebellion, 
lack of respect, disobedience, conflicting opinions, envy, jealousy, etc.

But the root cause of strife is selfishness.
We want things the way we want them, and when they are not, conflict arises.
Some struggle with accepting the fact that God made each person unique,
which means that we have been created with our own set of desires, goals, etc.
Sometimes they are in harmony with others, but sometimes they are not.

Selfishness actually begins when we fail to accept God’s Will for our lives.
We know how we want to live, but some of our desires 
are in conflict with God’s commands and His expectations. 
It is at that point, that rebellion rears its ugly head.

We may not want to admit we have rebelled against God, and we may justify 
and rationalize our rebellious actions, but no matter how we describe it,
when we go in the opposite direction of His commands, it is blatant rebellion.

Here is a brief example that touches a sensitive area in the lives of most.
God tells us to ‘bring Him our tithes and offerings’ and Satan is correct when
he convinces us that God doesn’t need our money, but this line of thinking
misses the greater reason for tithing, which is ‘obedience’ and ‘trust’ in God.

Look at what our selfish rebellion and lack of trust causes us to miss out on:
Test me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the 
floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room 
enough to store it. (Malachi 3:10b)

There is a constant battle for our “will” between God and Satan 
and it is up to us to decide which one will win.
When we rebel against God, Satan wins, 
but when we choose to obey the Lord, He wins.

James warns us about the dangers of uncontrolled selfishness. 
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. (James 4:2)
He tells us of the problem and then offers a remedy.
James also says that we ‘do not have because we do not ask God’.

A selfish person will look at the comment from James and think they 
can just pray and ask God for whatever will fulfill their selfish desires.
However James is quick to point out that we need to ask God for the things 
that are within His Will for us; the things that will help to complete us.
When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, 
that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. (James 4:3)

ACTION:
Are you being controlled by your selfish desires?
If so, then how is it affecting your relationship with God, and with others?
Are you quick to point out that others are wrong whenever 
their desires and opinions are different than yours?
How often have you started a sentence with, “You need to....”

Are your prayers focused more on you, or on others?
Asking God to help us in our areas of weakness is a good thing,
but asking Him to show us how we can help others is even better.
How often do you make a special effort to encourage someone else,
and especially those who are trying to actively serve the Lord?
Satan increases his attacks on the Lord’s servants, so they need 
encouragement to remind them that their efforts are appreciated. 

When is the last time you did something for someone else 
(maybe even someone you don’t particularly like) without being asked, 
or expecting something in return?
Before you allow Satan to give you reasons for not being benevolent to others,
think about what Jesus did for you, even though you were selfish and rebellious.

Pray,
“Heavenly Father, I am humbled when I think about what Jesus did 
for me on the cross. I am ashamed that I have allowed my selfishness 
to adversely affect my relationship with You, and with others. Forgive 
me for my selfish attitude and help me to follow Your instructions to 
‘Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility 
value others above myself, not looking to my own interests but to the 
interests of the others.’ Show me that when I forfeit my will for Your 
Will, I will become less selfish, my interaction with others and You 
will improve, and my prayers will become more meaningful. Jesus 
unselfishly gave of Himself for me, so teach me to give unselfishly 
for others, and to stop criticizing them when their habits and opinions 
are different than mine. Help me to remember that I am not always 
right on everything, but You are!”

blog: UTVOLWOODY.WORDPRESS.COM