Impatience

Yesterday we discussed impatience and irritability as a couple of those “respectable” sins that we tend to tolerate, excusing them by giving them all sorts of acceptable titles. Acceptable to us that is…NOT to God. It was easy to relate to the study as I reflected upon my frequent responses to people and situations. A quote by John Piper sure spoke to me:

“Impatience is a form of unbelief. It’s what we begin to feel when we start to doubt the wisdom of God’s timing or the goodness of his guidance…The opposite of impatience is not a glib, superficial denial of frustration. The opposite of impatience is a deepening, ripening, peaceful willingness either to wait for God where you are in the place of obedience, or to persevere at the pace he allows on the road of obedience – to wait in his place, or to go at his pace.”

I find that daily my emotions are still quite unpredictable. In the afternoon I found myself more deeply grieving than usual. Needing to withdraw, laying my lonely, weepy feelings before the Lord. I recognized that these are feelings not only of a loss, but possibly more like that of an amputation. It seems like half of me is missing…and it is. The study was timely for me. I am thankful for Tom and the God Chasers. They help me to get my thoughts and emotions back on track, looking to the one who loves and heals. Among the various Scriptures that we explored, Exodus 34:6 especially spoke to me”

“GOD, GOD, a God of mercy and grace, patient – so much love, so compassionate – loyal in love for a thousand generations, forgiving iniquity, rebellion, and sin. Still, he doesn’t ignore sin.”

Thanks for your encouragement and prayers as you join me on this road of grief and adjustment...and hopefully recovery. God is God…and He is good!

Love,

Chuck