Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost (CL)

James 3:13-4:10

¹³ Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. ¹⁴ But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. ¹⁵ This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. ¹⁶ For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. ¹⁷ But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. ¹⁸ And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

4 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. ⁴ You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. ⁵ Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, “He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us”? ⁶ But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” ⁷ Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. ⁸ Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. ⁹ Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. ¹⁰ Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.

Passion and drive can be a good thing. Some people use their passions to take from others. They use their drive to ruin others. They are seeking the things of this world. But there are also people who are driven to help others. There are people who desire to change their life. Some people walk between these to categories. They wish to be better, but continue to fail. This is what I call normal.

St James tells us that wars and fights come from within. He also talks about wisdom that does not come from above, this is earthly and demonic. These passions and desires are sin, and lead to more sin. But we should draw near to God, we shouldno longer be of two minds but of one. The Spirit of God should direct our lives.

It is only with the power of Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit that we can resist the devil and flee from pride, evil desire, and wicked passions. God comes to stand with us. He comes to rescue and deliver us from evil. God continues to work to mold you into a better person. But it starts with one simple phrase, "you are Forgiven." Christ has died for your sins. He cleanses you from unrighteousness and in his resurrection he gives you new life. 

Be humble, and hear from God this simple phrase and let it guide you instead of passion or desire and it will always be good.