Everyone loves to get their
own way, right? It's like it's this inborn desire to do things our
own way in our own time. But guess what? James says that isn't the
way things should be at all. He calls it sinful. Our own sinful
nature is constantly battling against the part of us that longs to
follow Jesus (Paul talks about this, actually), so we shouldn't be
striving for our own way all the time.
"Where do you think all
these appalling wars and quarrels come from? Do you think they just
happen? Think again. They come about because you want your own way,
and fight for it deep inside yourselves. You lust for what you don’t
have and are willing to kill to get it. You want what isn’t yours
and will risk violence to get your hands on it." (James 4:1-2a)
Can you think of a time that
you wanted something so much that you would have done anything to get
it? What about a time that you just wanted something and schemed
until it happened? Maybe there wasn't violence (I hope not), or even
the risk of it, when you wanted something but you still went about
getting your own way in the wrong way. Let's read the next couple of
verses from James on this:
"You wouldn’t think
of just asking God for it, would you? And why not? Because you know
you’d be asking for what you have no right to. You’re spoiled
children, each wanting your own way." (James 4:2b-3)
Let me tell you about the
semi-annual fight at my house, the proverbial hill that we are
willing to die on around here. Shaun and I have been married for 14
years now and we have just one really big argument twice a year every
year. It's a total first-world problem and ridiculous. You've been
warned. We fight in the spring/summer about when to put the AC in/on
and then we fight again in the fall about when to turn the heat on.
Shaun wants his way because running these things is expensive. It
costs us a lot of money each time either thing is running. I want my
way because I live in this house all day nearly every day with four
kids. We get hot (cold in the fall) and feel that we "need"
the AC (heat in fall) to be comfortable. And you know what happens
when we both fight for our own way. There is no violence or death, of
course, but there is an argument because we are both so focused on
getting our own way. Feelings are hurt and we aren't following God's
way on it at all.
So what does James say about
this?
"You’re cheating on
God. If all you want is your own way, flirting with the world every
chance you get, you end up enemies of God and his way. And do you
suppose God doesn’t care? The proverb has it that 'he’s a
fiercely jealous lover.' And what he gives in love is far better than
anything else you’ll find. It’s common knowledge that 'God goes
against the willful proud; God gives grace to the willing humble.'"
(James 4:4-6)
Ouch. Cheating on God? How
is it cheating on God to want your own way? Well, James tells us that
wanting our own way and scheming to get it is "flirting with the
world." How would you feel if your spouse or significant other
were flirting with someone else? You'd be upset, I hope. Imagine that
feeling and I think we get a small glimpse of how God feels when we
are so focused on our way that we totally disregard him and his way.
"So let God work his
will in you. Yell a loud no to the Devil and watch him scamper. Say a
quiet yes to God and he’ll be there in no time. Quit dabbling in
sin. Purify your inner life. Quit playing the field. Hit bottom, and
cry your eyes out. The fun and games are over. Get serious, really
serious. Get down on your knees before the Master; it’s the only
way you’ll get on your feet." (James 4:7-10)
As silly as the semi-annual
fight is around here, it's a serious event to Shaun and me. And it
says in verse 7 that this fight is just one more way that Satan is
trying to drive us apart. In the first few years, there was yelling
(Shaun) and crying (me, haha) as we both vied for our own way on
this. Our former neighbors knew the day was coming each spring and
would practically set up lawn chairs because they knew we'd be
ridiculous about it. Honestly, aren't most arguments ridiculous at
their core?
But in the last few years,
we've approached this differently. We've come together and talked out
the issues we each have with our own sides. We've prayed about it.
We've done our best to submit to one another as we are called to do
in Ephesians 5, giving a little from each side. This year, instead of
putting the AC in on the first hot day of May like I would really
like to do, I compromised by waiting until July. And I didn't whine
about it. That's another key to submitting to one another and trying
to do things God's way. You aren't truly submitting to God's way if
you are doing the right thing on the outside but insisting on the
wrong thing on the inside.
What proverbial hill are you
dying on right now? What is it that you just have to have your way
on, no matter the cost? God is calling you to a better way, to his
way. Lay that sword down at the base of the cross and hand your way
over to God. His way is so much better! He has bigger things in mind
than you can dream and you will never be disappointed by God's dream
for your life. My prayer today is that we can all move forward in
God's will rather than our own. Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment