James 1:13-15

We all have needs and desires. We all need to eat, and when we are hungry, we desire to eat. The desire to eat is natural, and it is not evil. James says we are tempted when we are enticed or dragged away by our own evil desires. What makes a desire evil? When we are tempted to fulfill a legitimate desire in an illegitimate manner, it becomes an evil desire.

When I desire to eat and do so in a legitimate manner, it is not sin. When I desire to eat and I am tempted to do so by stealing my neighbors food it becomes an evil desire. If this desire gives fruit to the action of stealing, it is sin (a willful disobedience of God’s will).

Some desires become evil when they become intemperate. I am on a diet; I must lose 15 pounds. If I lose 15 pounds, my doctors will put me on the list for a lung transplant. My desire to eat is not evil, but my desire to eat more than I should is evil. When I gave into that desire, it is sin (a missing of the mark). Fully surrendering to the temptation to overeat will quite literally be the death of me. Overeating will not harm my relationship with God in the same way as a willful act of disobedience. Overeating will definitely shorten my relationship with everyone I love in this life.

It is not always easy to know the difference between a natural desire and an evil desire. The element of enticement is a warning sign that a natural desire is turning evil. Once temptation has taken root, it will grow and will give birth to sin. Sin is deadly; do not allow temptation to take root. We do not have to trust our wisdom alone to detect evil desire. God has given us His Holy Spirit to warn us of temptation. Heed his warning, and flee temptation. When the desire to please Jesus is the greatest desire of our life, victory is ours.