Verse: 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.
Devotion
Have you heard the advice that is popular in our culture, “Follow your heart?” Maybe someone has even given you that advice! It seems like great advice right? The problem is, it makes one huge assumption: it assumes our heart is always right!
This advice stems from our culture’s belief that our hearts are intrinsically good and to be trusted. That we are the creators of our own meaning, destiny, future, and (believe it or not) definition of right and wrong. “You do you.” “Trust your heart.”
In fact I am re-watching High School Musical (where we all should go for life advice) with my 5th grade daughter and I was struck by an entire song about this: “I’ve gotta do what’s best for me, I’ve got to move on and be who I am.” Or take Frozen: “It’s time to see what I can do, To test the limits and break through, No right, no wrong, no rules for me, I’m free.”
The prophet Jeremiah, however, tells us that, “the heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?” (Jeremiah 17:9)
So which is correct? Let’s test the culture’s theory: has your heart ever wanted something that you decided wasn’t something you should want? Have you ever wanted to do something, that later on you realize you were glad you didn’t do because it would have turned out worse? Have you ever wanted something that would require you to hurt someone else in order to get it (we can talk another time about why, according to culture, that really should be ok as long as you get what your heart wants). In short – has your heart ever led you astray?
If so, then what’s the point? Either your heart can be trusted, or it can’t. We can’t have it both ways. This is why James tells us that we are led to destruction because of our desires that “battle within us.”
Or think of this, has your heart ever wanted two opposite things? What are we supposed to do then? Look deeper into our heart and try to find the one true desire?
For instance, years ago we were having some financial issues and I wrestled with two competing desires. Desire 1: don’t tithe (give 10% of my income to the church) for a month or two and just keep that money for our family. Desire 2: tithe because I desire to follow God, even when it’s not convenient. In that circumstance, how do I follow my heart? Which desire do I choose? How do I go my own way? If there is no wrong, no right…how is that freedom?
How did I make my decision? I didn’t look into my heart and try to figure out my desires. I looked to Jesus, who counsels us that the heart cannot be trusted above his Word. He invites us instead, to submit our desires to his will, and over time watch as our desires begin to align with his will! (Romans 12:2)
One last note, Jesus isn’t looking to destroy our free will. In fact, he is the ultimate respecter of it: that’s why we have the freedom to choose to “go our own way” and deny Him. What he longs for, though, is to empower us to truly become who he has created us to be. To help us find freedom by being “found in him” and discovering IN HIM (not having to create this for ourselves) our true identity, meaning, and purpose for life!
I don’t know about you, but I’ve learned that my heart is confusing at best, and evil at worst. I’m grateful I have someone else to look to who can help me to train my heart towards the Way of Life and Truth. Aren’t you?
Prayer
Thank you that you haven’t left me to fend for myself. Thank you that you love me enough to lead me into true life. Give me the courage and the wisdom to follow you!
Author: Christian Dunn
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