We know very well what impatience is because we live in a culture of instant gratification. We get impatient when the driver in front of us isn’t paying attention to the traffic light. We get impatient when the person before us in the grocery store check-out line has way more than the ten-item limit. We even get impatient when our internet takes more than a couple seconds to load something! This impatience often leads to us getting angry and irritated. That’s why the Bible sometimes describes patience as being “slow to anger.”
Thankfully, our God is never impatient with us. He is always patient and always slow to anger towards His children-
“The LORD is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, forgiving iniquity and transgression…” Numbers 14:18a, ESV
Our God is patient! He is slow to anger because He loves and forgives His people. It doesn’t matter how many times we mess up or do something wrong. It doesn’t matter how many times we forget who God is and what He does. He still loves us. He still forgives us. And He remains patient with us always.
Not only is God patient with us, His followers, He is also patient with nonbelievers. Many have wondered why God is waiting so long to destroy those who are sinful and create the perfect and sinless New Earth. He waits because He is patient!
“The Lord is not slow to fulfill His promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9
While God hates sin, He does not want any of His image-bearers to perish and suffer eternal death. He wants people to repent and turn to Him and have a relationship with Him. He wants them to have abundant life (John 10:10b)! So, God is patient even towards sinners, so that as many as possible will believe in Him.
God is patient towards us; therefore, we must also be patient towards others. Jesus Christ was our perfect example of perfect patience (1 Timothy 1:16), and the Apostle Paul writes many times in his letters about how important the virtue of patience is (Galatians 5:22, Ephesians 4:1-2, Colossians 3:12, 1 Thessalonians 5:14). Patience is hard, especially in this day and age! But the lives of Christians truly are lives of patience! Jen Wilkin writes about this in her book, In His Image–
“Christians are a people of delayed gratification, awaiting a future hope and forgoing comfort in the present.”[1]
Christians do not necessarily have easy or comfortable lives, but we do live every day awaiting our future glory and eternal peace. Our lives are lives of patience and hard things. So, we must obey what James wrote in his letter-
“Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger, for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.” James 1:19-20
Odds are that you will feel anger, irritation, or impatience at some point this week. But instead of giving into those feelings and letting them consume you, be patient! God is so patient with you, and it is only right that you show that same patience towards those around you. If you’re beginning to feel angry, irritated, or annoyed with someone, pray that God would instill in you patience and love and forgiveness for that person. And praise God-
“But You, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.” Psalm 86:15
[1] Jen Wilkin, In His Image: 10 Ways God Calls Us to Reflect His Character (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2018), 111.
