Who do I ask?

Tonight I was reading in James 4:1-3

What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you? You want something but you don't get it. You kill (hate) and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive because you ask with wrong motives that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. 

There is so much here I have never seen until tonight. Through out life we have so many different kinds of relationships. Sometimes I think the battle within us is the desire to be fully known and fully loved by people. We hold out our hearts looking to others to love us in ways that only God can. When these longings are not fulfilled by people it leads often to quarrels or separation of friendship because we are asking the wrong person to fill us. If we will only ask God with pure motives we will receive that acceptance and love we are looking for so that we can more fully love those he has called us to walk with. He fills us and allows things to happen so that we can bring glory to him.

Sometimes we have to go through things because he wants us to be ready to encourage the next person facing the same battle. Sometimes this is difficult to hear. There have been times I have cried out to God "It's not fair! I don't want to have to go through this for someone else's benefit....." But his gentle reply says that he is preparing me for the ministry he has in store. All of it will be worth it when I can see another of his kids walk in victory and glorify Him because I was able to share my story of what he has done in me.

I suppose these are some random thoughts, but wanted to share some encouragement tonight.