In the very first verse of this chapter, James rhetorically asks: "What is causing the quarrels and fights among (or within) you? Don't they come from the evil desires at war within you?" In other words, James highlights our struggles as human beings to be submissive to the Divine rather than submissive to our own evil, lustful, or prideful appetites and passions. It is the lot of all Christians-indeed, the lot of all religious people-to have to battle what is often referred to as the "natural man" within us; that adversarial spirit that craves sinful things instead of heavenly or holy things.

In the 40th chapter of Isaiah, it speaks of the coming day of the Lord, when "Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain shall be made low" (V:4). This is traditionally seen as a metaphor for the idea that those who humble themselves (i.e., who make themselves as "valleys") will be "lifted up" or "exalted," while those who are prideful (i.e., who lift themselves up above others, like a "mountain") shall be "abased," brought "low," or "humbled" by God. Thus, the invitation of James (in 4:10) is that we humble ourselves before the Lord so that He can "exalt" us, or "lift us up." Those who seek the humble path-trusting in the Lord, rather than in their own personal "greatness"-are often found praying things like "Lord, please help me to choose to be humble, so that I will not need to be humbled by You." James makes it clear here that, if we choose to be humble, God will not have to send us hard experience to humble us; indeed, He will actually "lift us up" because we have chosen the humble path.