by Jon Burnett
22 Apr 2005
Something you don�t have to bring to a teenager�s attention is the internal struggle going in between what they want to do, and what they know they should do. Someone who is in need of enlightenment are those whose struggles continue, who have not yet found the Answer to the world�s problems. These struggles start internally, only to eventually grow into much more than a personal problem, affecting those around this troubled soul, and causing more than a little division, �What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your pleasures are at war within your members� (Jam 4:1, ESV)?
James had experienced his fair share of conflict, hearing no doubt of Ananias and Sapphira lying to the apostles (Acts 5) and present in the "multitude of the disciples" when the apostles proposed the seven to distribute aid impartially to those in need (Acts 6:2, 1:13,14). By inspiration of God, he declared that such strife among the brethren was rooted not in the word of God, but in the passions of men, the result of internal turmoil. Let�s look briefly at some of these problems.
�You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel� (Jam 4:2). To most people in our world today, it�s just never good enough. No matter what it is that has gone right, regardless of the bountiful blessings that have been given to them, there�s always something better, a better car, someone more attractive to be with, and of course, someone better than them, no matter what. What happens to these people? They become bitter. They hate the world, they hate their life, and they even hate themselves. They�re snappy, grumpy, vengeful, always somewhere between cynicism and pessimism (if there�s really a difference between the two). Not exactly the shining example of a hope placed in Heaven.
�You do not have, because you do not ask� (Jam 4:2). A lot of the rest of us fit more into this category. We get frustrated when we don�t get what we wanted. We smile politely and roll our eyes when we get a gift we weren�t exactly hoping for. Question is: who knew that�s what you wanted? Did you ask them for it, or did you just assume that everyone knew what to get you? A lot of the time our disappointment is because we didn�t articulate our expectations very well. How are they supposed to give you what you need if they don�t know you need it? You can�t expect someone to pass a test on information they were never given!
�You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your pleasures� (Jam 2:3). As Christians, this is sometimes our biggest problem of these three. We did everything right didn�t we? We didn�t get grumpy or act childish. We prayed for things to be different than they turned out. What happened? You wanted it for the wrong reasons. We can�t expect to pray for God to help us sin! It will be fulfilled according to His will, not yours, and we have to understand that.
Though more than likely we all fit into one of these three groups at different stages in our life, but this isn�t the way it has to be. God has given us peace with the brethren, not war. He has given us the avenue of prayer so that we might make our most intimate desires known to Him through His Son. He has given us a purpose that is our motive for all that we do, even in prayer. We can�t ask Him to give anything that He already has. What do we do? �Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded�Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you� (Jam 4:7,8,10, ESV). May we always be up to the challenge given us by His grace!