Sometimes, when I
turn on my computer, the screen is black even though I have not turned the
computer off after my last use. If I am not careful I will push the on/off
button without thinking. If I have left the computer in ‘sleep’ or ‘hibernate’ mode, pushing
that button does not turn the computer on as I desired, but actually turns it
off. Because I did not see the ‘start’
screen quick enough when I opened the computer, my impatient actions have now
caused the exact opposite of my intent. Rather than speeding up my ability to
begin using this wonderful tool, I now have to await the process of shutting
down and then the full process of reopening. This will take far more time than
the few seconds that would originally have been required for the login screen
to appear.
Like so many, patience is not always my strong suit.
This impatient behavior can show up in many areas of life. The results are never
positive. The worst effects occur when
we are impatient with the speed of the work of God in our lives. If we begin to move by our own wisdom, we can
make decisions that will lead us directly in the opposite direction of where we
want to go. We will lose time and possibly
much, much more.
Scripture shows us examples of this in the lives of
some very prominent men. When Abraham and Sarah felt they had waited long
enough, they began to move God’s plan along. (See Genesis 16) Believing they would have the promised child
through Sarah’s maid could not have been more wrong. Ishmael actually became an
enemy of the promised Isaac. The animosity has continued through the
generations. King Saul also found that his impatience and concern for the
people around him caused him to make a devastating decision. (See first Samuel
13) When Samuel did not arrive on time, Saul offered the sacrifice himself.
This was expressly forbidden by God and caused the kingdom to be taken from Saul’s
descendents and given to David. Perhaps
the saddest statement in this account is, “And just as he finished offering
the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came!” (1 Samuel 13:10a AMP) If he had only waited a little longer, but impatience
had won out. Abraham and Saul both received
the exact opposite effect of what they thought their actions would bring.
We need to consider our actions carefully. Hitting
the power button because of impatience with my computer, causes a minor
inconvenience. There is a delay of time, and I may become frustrated, but there
are no serious, long-lasting consequences. In spiritual matters the
consequences can be far more serious. Decisions made or actions taken without
waiting for God’s appointed time can have effects for generations to come. Our children,
grandchildren and future generations may be affected by the decisions we make
today. This is no light matter.
Jesus said, “The sheep that are My own hear and are listening to My voice; and I
know them, and they follow Me.” (John 10:27 AMP) Listening requires paying attention. When our
attention and focus are the voice of the shepherd, we are less likely to get
ahead of His plan. We desire to follow Him because we are confident that He
knows the direction we should go. We are
less likely to take action on our own.
The cure for impatience is obviously more patience. But how do we keep ourselves from becoming
impatient? The apostle Paul wrote, “But if we hope for what is still
unseen by us, we wait for it with patience and composure.” (Romans 8:25 AMP) Holding on to hope, we can keep our composure
and have peace during the wait. Hope
will keep us from rash moves that may appear correct, but will lead in the wrong
direction. Hope can cause us to take a
deep breath and continue to wait on God.
As you make decisions today, do not allow impatience
or inattentiveness cause you to move too quickly. Hope in God and wait for His ‘start screen’
to guide your path.
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