The Book of James

Since I'm doing a poor job of up-keeping the blog, I've decided to use it as an opportunity to throw some of the things I'm working on out into the world.
Currently at Faith we are developing a bible study/devotional on the book of James for our students to study over the next few months. I'm working on writing devotionals for James 4, So here's the first bit of that project. I'd love your feedback, thanks!!

James 4:1 What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war with you?

The last phrase really sticks out to me: "passions at war within you". When our worldly wants and lusts are out of control, in conflict with what God has planned and willed for us, the fight inside inevitably will spill out.
Matthew Henry says it this way: “There is war between conscience and corruption, and there is war also between one corruption and another, and from these contentions in themselves arose their quarrels with each other." When our ungodly desires, our selfish wants begin to conflict with the Holy Spirit’s guiding, and then those ungodly desires begin to battle with the other ungodly desires, I look at it like there is a tornado inside of us, and that storm can’t get to close to anything else without causing more damage, and bringing other things into it.

Who are you “at war” with? Do you remember how it started? We get so deeply wounded and embittered in conflict with people, and even though they may have wronged us, was it a wound so deep that it deserves the pain and division it has caused between you? How many times do we drive a wedge between our friends or family because of one instance that we never worked out? Isn't it possible that if we let ourselves heal inside, these external conflicts might start to seem a little silly?

I would challenge each of us to spend some time in prayer asking God to show us where we are at war within ourselves, so that we can overcome them, heal, and grow that we might also find reconciliation with our brothers and sisters.