Give up Impatience and Learn Patience
Road Rage is now a thing. It sits in a cage in our minds, growling and snarling, but in a moment the cage door springs open, and the beast is released. Road Rage is the child of unhappiness and discontent.
Road Rage and its children are constantly impatient. Never calm. Waiting to spring from their cage. The only thing able to control it is a calm spirit. This spirit is cultivated by reliance on God, slowing down one’s life, and resetting one’s priorities.
Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters; You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires. James 1:19-20.
I [Paul] beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling…. Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. Ephesians 4:1-2.
When you follow the desires of your sinful nature the results are very clear: … hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger… But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Galatians 5:19-20, 22-23.
Question: When do you feel the most impatient? What factors do you think contribute to this feeling?
Activity: Construct an effective way to calm impatience. Practice it until it becomes second nature.
Prayer: Dear Father, I do not like the way that impatience makes me become sarcastic, angry, unkind, and out-of-control. Please help me to give way to the work of your Spirit and feel the calm that the Spirit brings. In Jesus’ name. Amen.