We live in an “on the double” culture where everything has to happen right now. If the truth is told, for many of us waiting isn’t just inconvenient, some of us act as if it’s plain unacceptable. If the drive-thru line takes too long, we get so angry about waiting that you can almost see the smoke coming out of heads. That “gotta have it now” attitude has spoiled us, and it’s creeping into our spiritual walk too. But we had best get very clear about this one thing: God is not having it. He’s not on our timetable—we’re on His. As believers and followers of Christ, patience isn’t just a nice idea; it’s a fruit of the Spirit, and God expects it to be part of who we are.
When we’re not thinking about being patient and having self-control as the Lord commands, impulsive decisions can take over. Boy does this land us in hot water. The mistakes made by impatience can really set us back. Like me, you’ve probably heard some of the stories—folks jumping into relationships, moving to a different state, leaving their jobs behind, all without receiving that extremely important green light from God. Being patient means that we don’t have to make these kinds of mistakes. Proverbs 16:32 (NLT) reminds us, “Better to be patient than powerful; better to have self-control than to conquer a city.” From God’s Word, we see that having patience isn’t just good—it’s better and stronger when we exercise self-control and refuse to be impetuous.
Impulsive decisions can dig us into a deep hole of regret, and many of us have experienced this firsthand. Our flesh is weak, and it always craves satisfaction. Jesus warned us about this in Mark 14:38 (NLT): “Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak.” If we don’t guard against those impulsive thoughts, they’ll turn into impulsive actions, and before we know it, we’re caught in the enemy’s trap.
This is why submitting to the Holy Spirit is so important. Romans 8:6 (NLT) says, “So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace.” Listen, we don’t need to keep testing this one out. When a person allows their sinful nature—that nature that isn’t from God—to dominate their thoughts and actions, they are inviting trouble. It leads to negative consequences that weigh us down and keep us from the blessings we desire.
Philippians 4:8 (NLT) tells us, “And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing: Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.” When we let the Spirit control our minds by thinking excellent thoughts that are pleasing to our Heavenly Father, “life and peace” increase, positioning us in God’s plan for us.
Jesus Christ teaches in John 16:13 that the Holy Spirit guides us into all truth. The Spirit gently nudges us when we’re about to step out of line. The question is whether we will recognize his guidance and nudges. Will we have developed the kind of sensitivity to the Spirit where we yield to him totally and completely? If we haven’t, we can start right this moment, understanding that the Spirit always guides us back to the path of God’s covering. We simply have to choose to listen and obey.
In this instant-gratification world, it kinda feels like patience is a rarity, something people only expected to see back in the day. For the believer, that simply won’t do. We’ve gotten used to having everything at our fingertips, and this makes it easy to be impatient, but we have to make a habit to stop and pause for a second. A step back to pray, and ask the Holy Spirit for wisdom and guidance, is what allows his clarity to come in and lead us. While we’re often in a hurry for things to happen, God’s at work behind the scenes, preparing us for what’s next. His timing is always right on point, even when it feels like things are moving slow. So, let’s be committed to be more patient with others and ourselves, as we allow God’s plan for our lives to beautifully unfold. ■
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.
“Impulsive Decisions”, written by KLizzie, edited by Reverend Fran Mack, for Sundie Morning Sistas ©2024. All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord! SMS is dedicated to inspiring and encouraging Christian Women through the Word of God.