Impatience

<<irritation>>

God is shaping you – it might seem like a long slow job, however, what He has started He will complete if we remain committed to Him (Phil 1:6). What He wants to do in us is as important as what we believe He desires to do

When impatient we can act foolishly

through us. “Commit your way to the Lord, trust in Him and He will bring it to pass” (Ps 37:5). Impatience (which is a timing issue) caused King Saul to act outside God’s will and he was from that time rejected from being King (1 Sam 13:8-14). Often it is the same with us; the pressure seemingly demands that we do something instead of trusting in God, standing still and seeing the Lord’s solution (Ex 14:13; 2 Kgs 6:15-18). However, it is essential that we do what He has told us to do, wait for further instructions and don’t move beyond God’s direction. Satan wants us to overstep the mark, and help God along. Abraham ‘helped God out’ and the consequences from fathering this son (Ishmael) continue to be a problem today with the descendants of the promised son Isaac resulting in the conflict between the Arab nations and the Jews.

Many courting couples today let their hormones over-ride their consciences and engage in premarital sex, not waiting until they are married . Although generally accepted by society, it is still contrary to God's approved way of sex only between a husband and wife (1 Cor 6:18; Heb 13:4).

Joseph’s dreams took over 20 years to become reality, yet during this time he remained faithful to God, confident in the Word of the Lord to him. He received these dreams as a 17-year-old youth, and was 30 at the beginning of the 7 years of abundant crops. It was some time during the subsequent 7 years of famine that his family bowed down to him fulfilling the dream (Gen 37:2, 41:46).

After David had been anointed King, his men suggested he dispose of King Saul and hurry up the inevitable outcome of him taking the throne. His emphatic answer was ‘No, let God work this out in His time. It’s His plan, He is capable of bringing it to fruition’ (1 Sam 16:1,13, 24:10, 26:9). These examples show we are not to take matters into our own hands, instead “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths” (Prov 3:5,6).

God uses delays to test our obedience, patience and trust in Him, with many things needing time to be accomplished. God moves slower than we impatient humans would like, yet His will shall be outworked in His time so don’t despair – He has the complete

Impatience must be controlled

perspective on the whole situation (Hab 2:3). Patience is a fruit of the Spirit, so we conclude that it is not a tendency of natural man (Gal 5:22).

Frustration, irritation and trying to force things to happen are manifestations of the flesh. We want things done now – if not sooner! It is our responsibility to seek God, pray, prepare and do all we can (within the boundaries) to bring about the desired outcome while leaving the timing to God, confident in His wisdom and sovereignty.