“What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? 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. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.
“You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. Or do you think Scripture says without reason that he jealously longs for the spirit he has caused to dwell in us? But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says:
‘God opposes the proud
but shows favor to the humble.’
“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. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.” James 4:1-10
Passion is a gift, but human passions are gritty, ofttimes askew, deceiving, or detrimental rather than productive. God’s passion is for our purity and wisdom, humility and growth. His passions are always benevolent, redemptive, and backed and motivated by His love for us.
Many flesh passions get us in trouble, all of which we must beware. The enemy constantly lures us to strange affections and to surrender fear of God over to feelings, eternal satisfaction over to immediate gratification. With deleterious intent he whips the winds of temptation into every area of life. Gusts of immorality, salaciousness, lust, worry, greed, envy, and temper can all disrupt, distract, and throw us off course and balance. Without whole passion for God, we are undone. Only a guarded heart fixed on Jesus and His truth, order, and power is safe from Satan’s wicked, wily blows. (Proverbs 4:23; Philippians 4:6-7; 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5; 1 Peter 5:8)
It helps to know an unseen war rages, and where lies the root of temper, covetousness, and persnickety attitudes. It also helps to know that the Lord is ready to help, strengthen, and deliver. He implanted in the crown of His creation the capacity for lovely, strong, and righteous passion, and saves us from its sin-stain since Eden. He provides needed endurance and escape. (Romans 7:18-25; 1 Corinthians 10:13; Ephesians 6:12; Hebrews 4:16-16)
In what particular situations are we given to wayward, uncontrolled passions? What triggers to anger, gluttony, or immorality should we replace, or avoid altogether? Are there conversations, places, entertainment, or topics we must not visit? (1 Peter 1:14-16)
Is our heartbeat in rhythm with the Lord’s? When do we regularly renew our minds in God’s truth so we think rightly and behave in the fruit of His Spirit? How will we develop and exercise proper, godly, life-giving passions? (Psalm 1:1-3; John 4:34; Romans 12:1-2; Galatians 5:16-17,19-25)
Lord, keep my passions in divine check and sway, that my life passion always beats with purity and zeal for the good of Your people and praise of Your glory.
As the rain and snow 