James 4:8 says, “Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world.” So how do we live this Christian lie in the world but not of the world and focused on God alone?
This first tells exactly what we need to do. Draw near to God. He is always near. He can always be found. Jeremiah 29:13 says that if you search for Him with all your heart you will find Him. Spend some time in prayer and in the Word and you will find Him. You must do this daily so that you do not lose sight of who He is and what He has done. Next, understand who you are as a sinner and what His salvation means for you. When you accepted His gift of salvation, He immediately forgave you of your sins. He purified you. So now you do not have to go on living in your sin anymore. You have freedom in Him and can live in that freedom every single day. If you entertain thoughts of the world or try to live out your own desires, you will only find emptiness.
This verse says that you cannot be divided between God and the world. You must choose. When you are loyal to God, you will find the freedom you need to pursue Him every day. If you devote yourself instead to the world, you will find loneliness and emptiness. This is why we see so many celebrities commit suicide or turn to drugs and other addictions. They look for joy and happiness but cannot find it and are devastated. The only joy that can be found in this world is the joy of Jesus Christ. His joy will sustain us.