"You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask" (James 4:2).

There is an interesting dynamic between wants and needs. Wants convey desires that originate in the flesh with an insatiable appetite for more. Needs are constituted by those things essential for survival.

It is common for all of us to shift wants into the category of needs. We are bombarded daily by marketing ploys and advertisements that elevate our emotions to the point where we crave and covet things that promise fulfillment or happiness. In truth, our desires often shackle and enslave our minds. But to what extent will we ensure our wants are met? Will we intentionally sin to fulfill our wants?

James further unpacks verse 4:1 that our passions are at war within us in verse 4:2. He pinpoints not only the object of our desire but to what extremes we go to fulfill our desires. Again, he piggybacks his previous discussion at the end of chapter 3 by highlighting the dangers of jealousy and selfish ambition.

We seek selfish gain, so we take what is not ours. We see the blessings of others and become jealous, coveting the happiness they experience. But would we agree or admit that we fight, quarrel and even murder in order to satisfy our wants?

Consider first the issue of murder which can be looked upon two different ways. Yes, there is the unfortunate example where someone is so consumed with jealousy that physical murder is committed. But is that really the interpretation James is articulating?

More probable is that James is echoing Jesus' sermon on the mount that a man with unrighteous anger in his heart toward his brother is as liable to judgment as a man who commits murder (Matthew 5:21-22).

Similarly, James could be emphasizing Jesus' teaching that "what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander" (Matthew 15:18-19). In either case, murder is a strong word James uses to heighten how truly devious our hearts become when obsessed with selfish desire.

In those moments, sinful attitudes are made and actions are taken without hesitation, causing damage that will ensue both internally in our sinful hearts and externally through those who undeservedly reap the consequences of our sin.

James further calls out that we covet but cannot obtain. In many cases we do obtain what we covet, but the fact that James highlights that we CANNOT obtain is important to understand. At times, we cannot obtain what we covet because the Lord chooses to protect us from committing sins that will result in devastating consequences.

In other instances, He releases His grip of protection and gives us the object of our desires, just as He did for Eve in the garden of Eden so that she understood the consequence of her actions (Genesis 3) when she chose to disobey God and sin.

In this verse, though, James challenges the church to recognize that fights and quarrels evolve from hearts that are so bent toward covetousness, there is no resolution but to fight and quarrel. Rebelliousness rises to the surface out of frustration and we lash out at those who oppose our initiatives. 

In the end, God understands and meets our needs, but we are NOT to be anxious over anything (Matthew 6:25-34). What James encourages is that on occasion God meets our wants and desires when we ask in humility and trust that His will is best regardless of our selfish ambition.

He echoed the same point in chapter 1, stating that we lack wisdom because we simply do not ask God for it. But like wisdom, we must ask in faith believing He always has our best interest in mind when He answers yes, no or maybe. For if we place expectations on God, we begin to paint Him in a box according to our will and limited perspective.

But if we submit under His authority and obey His Word, we relinquish control and give Him free reign to orchestrate our life in such a way that selfish desires are of no value compared to the freedom of living in submission to His will.