Patience

 

This may come as a surprise to you, but I am an impatient person.  I don’t like to wait at a traffic light.  I watch the light going the other way, and when it turns yellow, I am ready to go.  I like to get a split-second head start on my green light.  And doctor appointments frustrate me.  Why do I have an appointment for 9 AM when everyone knows that the doctor won’t see me until 10 AM?  Now I know why it’s called a “waiting room”.  I get done with supper at Cracker Barrel and can’t wait to get the check.  I look around for the waiter and fume, “What’s taking so long?”  But have you ever noticed that God isn’t in a hurry?  He has all the time in the world.  It could be that God is using difficulties in my life to develop patience in me.  James 1:3 & 4 says, “Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.”  Actually, the only way to overcome impatience is to be patient.  counterintuitive, right?!  And God is wise enough to send us difficult situations to help us to develop patience.  So, be careful what you ask for: don’t ask for patience, or God will give you trials to develop your patience.  Ask for wisdom during your testing, and you’ll get patience … for free.