Galatians 5:14
“But if you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another.”
This is how the Galatians were treating one another. This is what happens when we are not right with God. By walking away from Him they have cut the flow of His love. It takes more than good intentions to love, we need His power to do so.
Earlier in Galatians 5 there are two statements that are instructive. One is "The fruit of the Spirit is" (v. 16), and the other is "The works of the flesh are evident" (v. 19). These verses describe the actions of the believer and the unbeliever. As the believer walks in the Spirit the fruit of the Spirit naturally flows from that life. That fruit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control.
Whereas the works that come from the one pursuing his own way are sexual immorality, impurity, indecent behavior, idolatry, witchcraft, hostilities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these.
The biting and devouring one another is the result of the Galatians leaving the true gospel. They've severed themselves from Christ by abandoning the gospel, so the love, joy and the wonderful fellowship with Christ dries up. They revert back to natural man seeking self first.
The Galatians were in a place that was doubly bad. They were separated from God and at conflict with one another. Why would they want to stay there?
James 4:1-3 gives us more insight. It says, "What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you? Is the source not your pleasures that wage war in your body’s parts? You lust and do not have, so you commit murder. And you are envious and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask with the wrong motives, so that you may spend what you request on your pleasures". This is a helpful description of what causes conflicts.
They were in a bad place. Most chapters in Galatians have Paul challenging them to examine there position or invite them back. In 1:6 he says, "I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you". In 3:1 he says, "You foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified. In 4:12 he says, "I beg of you, brothers and sisters, become as I am, for I also have become as you are. You have done me no wrong". Lastly in 5:7 he says, "You were running well; who hindered you from obeying the truth?"
The Lord tries to stop us when we are a bad path. Sometimes He puts road blocks in our way. Acts 16:6 gives an example of that, "They passed through the Phrygian and Galatian region, after being forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia." He mercifully stops us. We can seek to ignore Him and do it any way, but to our own hurt.
The Lord seeks to interfere with bad decisions in many other ways. Our consciences, other people, warnings in the bible and so on. This is great mercy.
Thank You Lord that You help us to stay on the right path. You were seeking to help the Galatians by this letter to them. Thank You.