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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