1) What causes fights and quarrels among you (4:1)? Why do you conflict with those around you?
2) Knowing that selfishness is our problem, what can we do? What is the solution to our default of only looking out for ourselves?
3) Here today, gone tomorrow (4:13-14). How does this statement impact your life? Will this cause you to live differently today?
James brings us to the root cause of the reason we struggle with others: selfish desires within us. It upsets us when we don’t get what we want. We think we deserve to have our own needs met. Start the process of change by admitting the source of the problem.
There is a great passage in James that shows us the way out of the selfishness trap (4:7-10). It culminates with one key phrase: “Humble yourselves before the Lord.” Humility is critical in becoming free of living for self. How can you start living humbly today?
We all tend to think we have been guaranteed a long life. Yet, we have all been to funerals of people who died much too young. And even if we live 80 or 90 years, we would still have to admit that our life is just a mist. We must make the most of every day.
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