Impatient

by

Pastor B.J. Knefley

Impatient, who me? Never. Well almost never. Okay, maybe a lot. You would think that I would have developed patience over my lifetime, but I haven’t. For some things I can be very patient, while others, not so much. Why? What is the cause of our impatience? Why do some suffer from it more than others. Is there a healthy balance?

Surprisingly, impatience and anxiety go hand in hand. We might not view it as such, but it is. Jesus told us to be anxious for nothing but that doesn’t stop us, does it? I’ve often wondered if impatience and anxiety have more to do with being self-absorbed with what we want, when we want it, and how it makes us feel when things don’t go our way.

We live in a very ME focused society. What’s in it for me is often the filter that we use before we agree to do many things. To die to yourself is not a norm. After all, if I die to myself then what’s in it for me? No, we want what we want when we want it and dying to yourself doesn’t fit into that plan.

Instant gratification is all about impatience. Our society is dotted with fast food, instant coffee, and oatmeal just to name a few. What happened to the day when we’d sit around a meal, talk, and otherwise savor the moment of relationship. Instead, we’re interrupted with text messages, email notifications and phone calls that we just must take. Just the other day I was with someone whose phone was constantly chirping while we were trying to have a meal together. Is it any wonder why we all seem to be bothered by impatience when our world is constantly vying for our attention?

Admittedly I struggle with impatience. That, along with other idiosyncrasies, I struggle with the idea of letting Christ reign in my thoughts and actions. It’s a battle that I must die to daily and that’s the point. The only time that I have the power to overcome the impatience that plagues my life is right now, in this moment. Think about it.