From where come wars and fightings among you? Come they not here even of your lusts that war in your members? Ye lust and have not; ye kill and desire to have, and cannot obtain; ye fight and war, yet ye have not because ye ask not. James 4:1-2
Conflict starts in the heart. The Bible explains how this works using an analogy of fruit from roots. Sinful desires in the heart will bear sinful choices. Greed and selfishness in our hearts will produce corresponding bad fruit. Resulting conflict originates from our selfish desires. When our desires lead us to disobey God’s Word they are wrong.
Last week I mentioned the sin of gossip which we often try to justify with pure motives but instead our gossiping should highlight the fact that it is not coming from pure motives because pure motives will not lead us to disobey God’s Word. Gossip instead exposes a self-centered heart/root. Pray that the Holy Spirit would give us God centered / rooted hearts and repentance when we don’t.
Check out Ken Sande‘sThe Peacemaker from our parent lending library.
