Four Things That Produce Strife and Drama in Our Homes.

James4:1From where come wars and fightings among you? come they not from here, even of your lusts that war in your members?

2You lust, and have not: you kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: you fight and war, yet you have not, because you ask not.

3You ask, and receive not, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it upon your lusts.

4You adulterers and adulteresses, know you not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

5Do you think that the scripture says in vain, The spirit that dwells in us lusts to envy?

6But he gives more grace. Therefore he says, God resists the proud, but gives grace unto the humble.

James list four things that lead to strife:

1 Strife comes from the lust that wars in your members.  Strife arises because we want what we want

2. Strife comes because you have not because you ask not.  Prayerlessness leads to STRIFE.   

3.  Strife comes because we ask amiss because all we want is things that benefit ourselves instead of the Kingdom of God. 

4.   Strife arises when we do not put God first.  

God gives grace to the humble, we are in strife because we are too proud to accept anything else

You must find the grace of God in order to have peace!  But you cannot force reconciliation on anyone.  You are wasting your time trying to PROVE someone WRONG.    When the prodigal left home, the Father did not leave home to find him.  He stayed home and watched for him from a distance.  He didnt make sure he had food, clothes and bills paid in that land that he ran away to.  He didn't call him every other day to see if he was all right.  He let him do his own thing and reap the disaster that it brings.   It was the only way the boy was going to appreciate what he had at home.   Sometimes we have to let people go, and trust God to bring them back home to Jesus.  When Jacob ran from home, Esau didn't hunt him down and look for revenge.   When we hunt people down and confront and 'deal with the issues' we are stepping out of bounds.  If they RAN from the situation that means they are not yet READY to deal with it.  Don't chase your family down when they run from you, wait patiently for them to come back home.  That will be the time they are ready to 'deal with the issues' and find restoration.  

Your life may be full of strife today, but look at the life of Jacob, he finally found peace and reconciliation.  Don't lose heart.  NO matter what situation you are in God will make a way.   You can have peace, no matter how many mistakes you have made.  No matter how stressful your life is right now you can have an experience with God just as Jacob.    Realize that God may wound you.  He may show you things about yourself that hurts.  He may send someone else to tell you things you don't want to hear.   But yield  yourself to God and do not run from the truth.  The truth is the only thing that will set you free.