The Problem with Impatience
The Problem with Impatience
Just hearing the word “patience” is enough to remind most of us that we need to do a better job of handling the challenges that come our way. All of us struggle to be patient with others and frequently with ourselves, too.
Many years ago, I chuckled when I read about a man whose car stalled in heavy Los Angeles traffic just as a stoplight turned green. He attempted to restart his engine, but it did not cooperate. He tried repeatedly to get it going while it felt like hundreds of drivers blew their horns at him. Nevertheless, the car refused to start, and the honking continued as the light changed from green to red again.
Thoroughly frustrated, he got out of his car, walked to the nearest vehicle behind him, and politely, but sarcastically said to the driver, “I’m sorry, but I can’t seem to get my car started. Would you mind trying to start the car for me, and I’ll blow the horn for you this time?”
Many of us are aware that we are impatient, but unfortunately, that knowledge seldom changes the way we act when something triggers our irritation. Sometimes impatience has catastrophic consequences. According to an online law firm, the average amount of time a driver saves by running a red light is only 47 seconds. However, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), in 2022, more than 100,000 people were injured when someone ran a red light, and nearly 1,100 people lost their lives. The potential loss of life and injury is not worth it to save a few seconds.
Many of us try to figure out how to cram more things into less time and then feel the pressure of getting everything done on our “to-do list.” Several years ago, I even read of a church in Florida which advertised a 22-minute service: the music was fast… the prayers were brief… the sermons were short, averaging just eight minutes.
Although I know being impatient does not make my life better, I struggle with impatience more often than I want to admit. Here is what the Bible says, “Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. (Ephesians 4:2, NLT, bold is my emphasis)
We are often most impatient when we are under stress. We are to be patient with each other since no one is perfect, and God wants us to love one another. We each want others to be patient with us. Patience is rarely easy to achieve, but it is far better to be patient than it is for everyone to be impatient with each other. When we are all impatient, everyone loses. May each of us commit to being more patient, understanding that showing patience helps not only us but others as well.