James 4:1-3
What is causing the quarrels and fights among you? James talks about this in the previous chapter, the wisdom from earth, which is unspiritual and demonic. “For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition there you will find disorder and evil of every kind.” (James 4:2) You want what you do not have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous of what others have.
Jealousy and hatred towards others is what prevents us from drawing close to God. Let’s be honest, if we even try to talk to God when we are in that state of mind, we find ourselves asking for our own wants, things that only bring us pleasure. Or, our approach to God is ceremonial, just scripted words rather than heart felt communication with Him. Perfect words offered up without much feeling, instead of saying what we really feel. We treat God politely as a stranger instead of confiding in Him our secrets. He is far away.
So how do we draw close to God? James says, “Come close to God, and He will come close to you.” He loves us so much that He wants us to seek a personal relationship with Him. Through prayer, confessing our sin to Him and turning from our selfish sinful ways. Sin is what robs us from prayer, from closeness to God. Confessed sin draws us back to our Maker. We read in Luke, where Jesus prayed, “Not My will, but Yours be done.” God also wants us to align our will with His. As we align, our wills to His, we will not have room for envy and strife. But we will be filled with the wisdom from above, the wisdom that is peace loving, gentle at all times and willing to yield to others, drawing us close to God!