“Better a patient person than a warrior, one with self-control than one who takes a city.”
Proverbs 16:32 NIV
We are a world that lacks patience. Our many time-saving devices have spoiled us. We’ve created shortcuts for almost everything, and we become quickly irritated when something slows our progress. When we run into a roadblock that causes us or our project to pause, we feel like our lives have come to a screeching halt.
This impatience can cause rude and unpleasant comments, uncomfortable interactions, intolerant responses, and even violent encounters.
It’s interesting (and concerning) that we tend to be even less patient with people than we are with situations and circumstances—which is not to say that we aren’t impatient with all.
Of course, situations and circumstances can be frustrating, but people (and their behaviors) most often inflame our impatience. At least, that’s my observation.
Our impatience flares the minute someone slows us down, interrupts our forward motion, derails our desired progress, or disagrees with us. It can be as simple as a difference of opinion—we wonder how a person could be so shallow, unaware, and uninformed in their thinking. We have no patience with that person, and in our impatience and irritation, we have no interest in hearing why they think as they do.
We take any disagreement or pushback as an insult to our intelligence or an attack on our integrity. A difference of opinion or disagreement is a personal assault.
In general, we are not patient people.
I wish I could say this is not true of Christ-followers, but we all know it is.
Have you seen that to be true in other believers? In yourself? Why do you think that might be the case?
Perhaps it has something to do with that part of our still-present, yet-to-be wholly sanctified sin nature that insists on being in charge, recognized as important, and esteemed as highly valued.
I will go so far as to suggest that Christians sometimes take impatience to a whole other level. Not only do we sometimes become impatient with our situation, circumstances, and people, but we also dare to become impatient with God.
We. You and I. We become impatient with God’s handling of our circumstances, relationship issues, financial setbacks, times of discipline, and unanswered prayers. Our list can become quite long.
The created ones become impatient with their Creator.
Friend, when that happens, we are walking on shaky ground.
Just as our impatience with others tends to result from a self-focused desire to get our way undeterred by outside interference, so it is with our impatience with God. Our old nature still wants to be in control. It wants to be driving the bus, setting the course, and establishing our life’s direction. If God’s plans for us and His dealings with us disrupt our plans, the old nature rises up in revolt.
That’s why the Apostle Paul wrote to the Christians in Colossae, “Put to death therefore what is earthly in you” (Col. 3:5). Paul writes a long list of the many earthly habits, attitudes, and sins that do not belong in the life of a Christ-follower.
Various Bible translations say it in different, but equally strong, terms: put them away, rid yourself, put off, put them all away. (Col. 3:5-9)
In that same chapter, Paul writes, “Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another…forgiving each other; as the LORD has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.” (Col. 3:12-15)
Take heart. You don’t go through the “taking off, putting on” process alone. Paul encourages us in his letter to the church of Galatia, “Walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desire of the flesh.” God’s Holy Spirit dwells in every believer. He is our Teacher, Guide, Encourager, and Helper. And as we yield ourselves to Him, He will grow the fruit of His Spirit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
The more we yield to the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit, the more we grow. Our impatience will fade and turn to patience as His fruit begins to control our thoughts, words, and deeds.
Friend, our world needs Jesus. God calls each of us to be a light shining in our dark, sin-filled world. Don’t let impatience put a dimmer on your light, making it hard for others to see Jesus in you.
Remember and rejoice in the loving patience that God has shown you over and over again.
“Walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy; giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.”
Colossians 1:10-12 ESV