“What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you?” James 4:1

Lord God, I learn so much about myself as I watch my kids live their lives. I learn so much about myself as I ask my kids about why they do what they do. I ask them why they fight with each other; I often get the answer, “I don’t know!” I ask the question why they get so mad about certain things; I often get the answer, “I don’t know!” And I don’t think it’s a cop out. They know that there was no good reason for them to be so angry or to get so upset. They don’t quite understand what’s going on in them. I find the same going on inside of me, dear Father. I find myself getting upset with people, but I can’t quite put my finger on why. I notice frustration rising in me but I don’t know why. But James puts his finger on it here. Where does fighting quarrels and frustrations with other people come from? They come from a battle raging inside of me. They come from competing desires in me. My new man wants to do work for peace, wants to get along; it wants to get rid of frustration. My old man loves to fight and quarrel and bicker. Lord God, by my baptism help me to put to death that old man that lives in me. Help me to kill him every day and all day long. Put him to death, O Holy Spirit, that I might put away fighting and quarrels and work for me. Do this in me, O Savior, I cannot do it. My life has proven it. You alone can save. You alone can kill him. Work this in me, dear Savior. Amen.