James 4:7, New International Version

"Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."

In James 4:1–12, we see James getting straight to the heart of why so many conflicts exist among us. He asks, “What causes fights and quarrels among you?” His answer might surprise us—it’s not just other people’s faults or circumstances but the desires battling within our own hearts. We want something so badly—recognition, control, comfort—and when we don’t get it, we lash out or scheme to get our way. James exposes a truth we’d rather ignore: our selfish desires can pull us far from God and far from each other.

He goes on to say that our prayers can be affected too. Sometimes we don’t have what we truly need because we don’t ask God. And when we do ask, our motives are mixed up—we want what we want for ourselves, not for God’s glory. James doesn’t sugarcoat it; he calls it spiritual adultery when we try to be friends with the world’s ways while claiming to belong to God. The problem isn’t that God is distant—it’s that we’ve wandered from Him.

But what a hope-filled call comes next: “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and He will come near to you.” There’s no shame so deep that His grace can’t reach it. There’s no wandering so far that He won’t welcome us back when we turn to Him with humble hearts. James calls us to wash our hands, purify our hearts, and grieve over our sin—not to stay in guilt, but to find the sweetness of being lifted up by the One who gives more grace.

James also reminds us that humility is essential. He says, “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up.” When we humble ourselves, we stop judging others unfairly and stop playing God in each other’s lives. Instead, we remember that there is only one Lawgiver and Judge—and it’s not us. Choosing humility means choosing peace over pride, submission over selfish ambition, and unity over division.

This passage calls us to take a hard look at what’s driving our conflicts and to draw near to the One who can cleanse our hearts. True peace in our relationships starts with peace with God. So today, let’s set aside our pride and stubbornness. Let’s resist the enemy’s lies and cling to God’s grace. And may our lives show the world what it looks like when people who once quarreled are now humbled, forgiven, and drawn near to the heart of the Father. 

(All scripture quotations in this article are from the New International Version)