Good morning everyone,

James 1:19-20-Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; 20 for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness that God requires.

I know I’ve said before that one of the hardest things to overcome as a Christian is impatience. It is easy for us to confess about being impatient at times because we know just by observing anyone for awhile that it is very difficult to be patient all the time, with everyone. We see it in grocery stores, in traffic, relationships, etc., impatience is rampant and probably no one would say that patience is not a constant struggle to maintain. I also believe the reason we are so "transparent" about impatience is because we don’t think of the sin "behind it", which is to control everyone, and everything that causes it.

Impatience can lead us into some strong delusions about ourselves, provoking us to think that we are more proficient to do things with more excellence, and capable of better results than the person we are impatient with. Although those things maybe true if we were in their position, the times when we are impatient is because we want to control the situation. Here is where we must acknowledge God and be quick to hear. Because if God wanted us to be in that position we would be there, but He teaches us to depend not so much on people and what they do, but Himself and His final verdict of all things. Besides control can become so delusional that we begin to think we can run a country, be a mom and a dad, a coach, a better pro-athlete, and everything else, simply because we are impatient with another’s performance!

Our impatience really is an indicator that God is not at the forefront of our minds in the moment. But He points that out by telling us to be "quick to hear", implying that we are at times "caught off guard" in life and our emotions go before our thoughts and we react. Yet by God’s grace we are able to be "quickened" by the Holy Spirit and process long enough, that we avoid a mess or at least handle the situation in a civilized and godly manner. Remember that a heart that is concious of God or as the bible puts it, "praying at all times" is made ready to be patient and acknowledge that He must quickly be given control, before we take over by thinking and acting unrighteously.

In His Love, Ld