Submit therefore to God. But resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come close to God and He will come close to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be miserable, and mourn, and weep; let your laughter be turned into mourning, and your joy into gloom. Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you. (James 4:7-10)
When we fail, it is often in our nature to get defensive, shift the blame onto someone else, make excuses, or avoid dealing with our sin. It is a hard reality to face the evil in our hearts and own up to the way it has impacted others. It is much easier to think about the problem of evil with other people than addressing the inclination of sin in ourselves.
In this passage, we are given guidance on how to face the problem of evil. It is not by fixing ourselves with good behavior or even coming up with a good reason for our actions; it is through submitting to God in our struggle that we start to see healing and redemption. When we try to figure things out on our own, we live apart from the design we were created for, to be in relationship with our heavenly Father. He can handle your mess, clean you, and show you a new way forward. When you are walking close to Him, even as you struggle, He equips you to resist the devil in a way you could never do on your own. Draw near, resist the devil, and God will show you the path forward in Him.
- What are some ways you have tried to deal with your sin? What happened? When have you surrendered to God in your struggle? What happened?
- What does going to God in your struggle practically look like? How could you implement this in your life?
- Pray and talk to God about the things you are struggling with. Ask Him to help you to keep pursuing Him and resisting the devil.
