Hello All,
What gets us on our nerves? What do we usually get angry over?
Who or what makes us lose our patience?
How do we express impatience in the heat of the moment? Do feelings of guilt wash over us in the aftermath?
By Joanne Liaw Sook Ling (1 May 2017)
Waiting patiently for my turn
Getting impatient as I wait
It is patience I need to learn
Oh, when will a fish take my bait?
Waiting patiently for my turn
But time is draining my patience
Impatience makes my anger burn
Anger unleashed pricks my conscience
Waiting patiently for my turn
'My child, why are you impatient?'
'Forgive me, Lord. Please help me learn
To love like You by being patient'
Points for Reflection:
[22] But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
[23] gentleness, self-control; against such things, there is no law.
[14] For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
(Galatians 5:14, 22-23 ESV)
· We are imperfect. But that is no excuse to justify our fiery moments of impatience.
· We are imperfect people who belong to God. He uses challenges, difficulties, and trials to expose the sinfulness of our hearts. Through His Spirit, He is changing us to be more like Christ.
· Are you struggling to be patient with difficult people and circumstances? Do you feel guilty after you have lost your patience?
· It is possible to change our external behaviours. However, changing our external behaviours is not sustainable if our hearts remain unchanged.
· Rely not on ourselves, but on the work of the Spirit in our hearts, to love and be patient with our neighbours. However, that does not mean that we become passive puppets.
· God’s Word through His Spirit guides and convicts us when we do wrong. Just as a donkey is led by his master, we are to walk in step with the Spirit. I’ll have to admit that there are times when we are not much different from donkeys; especially in our stubbornness of heart towards a loving and gracious God.
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