The church father, St. Augustine, once said, “You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in You.” God created mankind to rest in Him, to find their full enjoyment in Him. John Piper says, “God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him.” To combine the thoughts of these great theologians, God is most glorified in us when our restless hearts find rest and satisfaction in Him. Easier said than done, right?
James, the brother of Jesus and the leader of the church in Jerusalem, reveals what happens when restless hearts don’t rest in God. Writing to churches scattered around the Mediterranean, he asks in James 4:1, “What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you?” Many of us would immediately look to some other person or issue. James has none of that. He answers his first question with a second, “Is not the source the pleasures that wage war in your members?” Don’t look outward, James says. First, take a long, hard look in the mirror and see if the source of the quarrels and conflicts begins with your own restless hearts.
James offers proof that their restless hearts are wreaking havoc in verses 2-3. Uncontrolled lust and envy are leading each church to fight and quarrel among themselves, to the point that they would spare no expense in satisfying their desires. They would even attempt to manipulate God in prayer to get their way.
“You adulteresses!” James says in verse 4. In verses 4-5, he basically says, “Bride of Christ, don’t you know that when your restless heart pines for the world, you are committing adultery against your heavenly Husband? Your heart is made for God, not the world! Do you think God will sit idly by and watch you commit adultery? No!”
This is a serious situation, and James reminds his readers in verse 6 that to continue down this prideful path is to face opposition from God. It is indeed a perilous situation, but there is hope in verse 6: “God gives grace to the humble.” There’s grace for forgiveness of sin, and there’s grace (power) from the Holy Spirit for fighting against sin.
James instructs his readers to get in the fight. The first step? Humility. There’s no place for pride in the fight. That’s what got them in trouble in the first place. From that place of humble submission before the Lord (v. 7), they are to resist the devil. They are to make the Prodigal’s trip back to draw near to the Father (v. 8), knowing that He will draw near to them. As they draw near to God, they are to respect His holiness by cleansing their hands and purifying their hearts. And they must accompany all of this with remorse for sin (v. 9), trusting that God will exalt them (v. 10).
Friend, is your restless heart wreaking havoc? Humbly submit to God, and get in the fight!