Daily Devotion 08/13/18
James 4:1-3 What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? 2 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. 3 When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.
The last rule that God gives as part of that big ten that we call the ten commandments is this, “You shall not covet.” Coveting is wanting or desiring something that isn’t yours. Notice what Jame says, “What causes quarrels and fights among you? Don’t they come from the desires that battle within you?” What leads to fights, quarrels, negativity, and a thankless life? Coveting. Wanting things that aren’t yours. Coveting and envy slowly chip away at your faith as you become less and less thankful. So what’s the cure? Be thankful. Instead of coveting what you don’t have, look at what you do have and be thankful. Thank God for all the physical blessings he’s given you, but especially the spiritual blessings of knowing him and his love and forgiveness. Thankfulness is the antidote to coveting.
Dear Father in heaven, you are the giver of all good gifts. You have blessed my life in so many ways that I can’t even count them all. Guard my heart today from wanting what isn’t mine, trusting that you have given me exactly what I need for today. Amen.