My Job is to Disappoint

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

Observation: James is explaining the source of conflict within the church. Why believers who follow Christ can still get into it with their brothers and sisters. The reason is self-centeredness. The passionate focus on self. Even after we come to Christ, we have to battle the world, the flesh, and the devil. The flesh is full of our focus on ourselves. We don’t have what we want, and instead of going to God for it, we fight with each other.

Application: Sometimes as a pastor I feel like my job is to be the arbitrator of everyone’s happiness. The problem is, there is not one solution to make everyone happy. People’s desires, even good and godly ones, are in competition. I have recently realized that part of my role is to continually disappoint everyone! This means I am here to keep us on track with what the Lord has called us to do as a church, even if that means that various interest groups and agendas have to be disappointed. My job is to keep people focused on the main thing—Jesus. This verse reminds me that as long as we have passions, we will have quarrels and fights. Instead of trying to solve all of these, I need to continue to turn people back to God. James says the way to get what you want is not to fight about it, but to go to God and ask Him. I need to model this in my life and also encourage others to pray and talk with God about these as well.

Prayer: God, let me start with me. I have many things I need to take to you, that instead, I have been trying to figure out on my own. Help me trust you for these things. You are at work. You love me. You love this church. You have the right path marked out. Please help us see where you are moving and join you.