When Patience Wears Thin

We Have All Been There

At one time or another, we have all been there:
I am at the end of my rope!
I am at my wit’s end!
I have had it up to here!
That is the last straw!
You have landed on my last nerve!
I am fed up to my back teeth!
And finally, as the old pipe-smoking, one-eyed, mumbling cartoon sailor, Popeye, used to declare:
“That’s all I can stands ‘cause I can’t stands no more!!

We Have All Been There!

One day Saul, the first king of the nation of Israel, arrived there, too. Samuel gave him a specific instruction from the Lord: “Go to Gilgal and wait for seven days when I will come and tell you what to do.” Perhaps it is just me, but I often find the directive to “wait” anywhere from difficult to totally annoying. When waiting becomes the order of the day, I relate more closely to the second king of Israel who wrote in Psalm 13, “How long? How long? How long?”

At least Saul had a definite time frame for his period of tarrying, but, and I know you can identify with this, as the time grew shorter the anticipation became more intense. The people grew restless and eventually began to wander away in weariness while wondering if anything was ever going to happen. This did not escape the king’s notice.

You can just imagine the lengths to which Saul went to locate Samuel on that seventh day. Sentries were alerted to be on the lookout for the old prophet. Riders were dispatched in every direction onto every highway and byway to find Samuel and bring him in. But all was of no avail as the time had come but Samuel had not. I am sure Saul believed that he was forced into a corner at this point as he ordered, “Bring the burnt offering here to me, and the peace offerings.”

At last, Saul took command of the situation, and he offered up the burnt offering himself. And wouldn’t you know it, at the exact moment he acted out of his impatience, Samuel abruptly arrived on the scene! It plays like a farce, like an ironic comedy in which the person supposed to be the hero of the story winds up as the foolish goat. Is there anyone but me that resonates with this brief historical drama? Can I get a witness?

I Got There, Too

Flashback to 1983 to our two-bedroom bungalow just south of downtown Wichita, Kansas. I had been unemployed and making it my daily chore to land a job of any kind for nearly six weeks. Our financial resources were exhausted by this time and every lead I developed was ice cold despite the summer heat. As the breadwinner for a wife and two little boys, I was beyond frustration with the whole situation.

On a Friday afternoon at just about 5:20PM, (the time is crucial here), I came to the end of myself and then rushed madly past. I was standing next to our small dining table at the end of yet another fruitless week in the employment market. I surveyed the array of newspaper want-ads, resume copies, conversation notes, and applications scattered on the table around the harvest green desktop telephone before me. I shook my head in disgust and resignation, pounded my fist in anger on the fragile table-top, loudly and vehemently demanding the phone to ring! It was all I could stand because I could not stand anymore!

The phone rang.

It was nearly 5:30 now…on a Friday…who would be calling? I composed myself, cleared my throat, took a deep breath, and removed the receiver from its cradle. “Hello,” I answered in my best telephone voice as cheerfully as possible for a 29-year-old man experiencing something akin to a massive coronary. On the line was Mr. Steven Sonner, the man who would become my new boss in the most financially successful position of my professional career.

Patience Ran Out

Would you care to know what I think? I think that old phone would have rung without my melodramatic display of impatience and anger. I almost made it. I was so close to making it all the way through. I was only seconds away from victory, but I fell short of the finish line. Again. But my reaction was reasonable given the circumstances I was facing, right?
Mouths to feed!
Bills to pay!
Gasoline for the car!
Possibilities evaporated!
Sitting at a dead end!
Saul went through the same sort of thing.
You were late!
People were abandoning me!
Philistines were mustering an attack!
I had not done my daily devotions!
You left me with no other choice!
Anyone in my position or in Saul’s should feel justified for his behavior, right?

WRONG!

Saul was told to wait. He did not. It cost him the kingdom. It cost Israel their king. It triggered God’s regret for His choice of Saul. And now this sad king was left without remedy or recourse. His reasons were nothing more than excuses for his sin, because,

Impatience is disobedience and disobedience is SIN.

Sin Brings Repercussion

I hung up the telephone, put on my tie and grabbed my jacket.
“Where are you going?” Pam asked me.
“I have an interview,” was my reply.
“Now?!?”
“Right now!”

My actions were no different than Saul’s. Sure, I had my reasons, my excuses, but there was no excuse for my ungodly behavior. I sinned, and sin’s consequence is separation from a holy and just God. And here is where Saul and I providentially part company. He was removed from his place. I, on the other hand, went to my car and wept over my behavior and lack of faith. Jesus in mercy showed Himself faithful to His unfaithful servant. Again. He forgave my sin and cleansed me from my iniquity. Again. I hope and pray that I am a better example of patience today than way back then. If so, it is because of the Holy Spirit’s labor in the garden of my heart as He works to produce His fruit in my life:
Love,
Joy,
Peace,
Patience,
Kindness,
Goodness,
Faithfulness,
Self-Control.

Patience Will Grow

Allow me to assure you that patience is to be desired and that you must never, never, never be afraid to pray and ask God for this aspect of His holy fruit in your life. God will not answer your prayer with sudden demands and trials requiring you to exercise patience. Yes, your patience will be tested from time to time, and I hope you pass your exams with flying colors. However, these pop quizzes of life do not cultivate patience in your heart, they reveal the quality of your patience to you, and, if you blow it, to anyone else who happens to be in the vicinity.

However, before testing comes teaching and development. It is a painless and simple process, although it is not free of your effort.

Know God
Your Bible is replete with assurances for provision, protection, and the presence of the Lord with you always. Whatever obstacle your face, Scripture will hand you the perfect solution every time. Read the Word, for you must know what God has promised for your situation.

Trust God
Faith is the action of relying on something or someone that you believe is worthy of your trust. Has not Jesus earned this place in your life? Tough times will come and they will end, but what the Holy Spirit has written on the tablet of your heart is 100% reliable always.

Surrender to God
Give up the outcomes of your hopes, dreams and earnest prayers to your Father who loves you with an unbreakable, unending love. You keep on hoping, keep on dreaming, keep on asking, keep on seeking, and keep on knocking. That is your part. Then stop and rest and remember: the results are God’s part.

My Prayer

Gracious Father, forgive me for the sin of impatience. Forgive me for offering You excuses in place of true repentance and a heart open to change. Let me try again and help me to remember to do my part and trust You to do Yours.

I surrender all.
I surrender all.
All to You, my blessed savior,
I surrender all.

In Jesus name,
Amen

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Scripture References:
I Samuel 10:8, 13:8-14, 15:11