Impatience can kill you

The light turned amber just as my husband entered the intersection. At the same time, an oncoming car began making a left turn. He slammed on his brakes. So did she and when she stopped, because he had the right of way and was blocking the intersection, he drove forward. She swore at him.

This near collision and the woman’s rudeness are examples of how impatience affects people. When I am impatient, I try to go faster with whatever I am doing and almost all the time begin making mistakes. I’ve been doing the final stitching on a quilt using a longarm machine. I’ve not practiced much using this machine, but have been in a hurry to finish this quilt. However, the pattern and technique require patience and slowing down so that the curves are consistent and even. Every time I hurry up because I am impatient, my lines wave all over the place. Instead of saving time, I wind up “unsewing” which uses up more minutes than patience would have.

I’ve been impatient with God too. He can do things speedily, but sometimes He moves slowly, such as answering some of my prayers. Impatience with God is really foolish because God knows what He is doing. All I know is what I want, and how could I think that my way is better than His! Besides, there is good reason that I should be happy that God is not in a hurry.

The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:9)

The world is full of people who are headed down that broad way that leads to destruction. Because of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, there is a way that offers eternal life, but the Bible says it is narrow and few find it. Without God’s patience, none of us would; all would perish.

The reference here is not to God’s decree, but to His desire. That is, when God ‘wills’ something, it comes to pass and if this was His decree, everyone would be saved and go to heaven when they die. But this verse is less about His power to make things happen and more about His heart. He wants people to find that narrow way that He has provided. He is not happy about all those folks on the broad way.

If God were driving a car, He would want that oncoming vehicle to make it through the intersection. He would stop so others could be free. He would prioritize the needs of others before all else. He would give even His life so others could live. In fact, He already did.