The Importance of Exercising Patience

The Dangers of Impatience

The advent of technology has created a global culture where expediency is expected. Since innovation has made things more accessible, people have grown accustomed to getting what they want, when they want it.

In fact, it would be an understatement to say the majority of the world would do anything in their power to avoid having to go through a process to reach their intended goals. But while expediting or completely skipping the waiting process can be convenient at times, always expecting everything to happen in the timeline you want is impractical.

Impatience is a self-imposed curse. On one hand, the emotion can keep a person agitated and flustered since it ensures they are too fixated on the future to appreciate the present. On the other hand, not being able to wait causes people to crave and eventually cave into instant gratification which always increases their likelihood of making an impulsive or hasty decision which will do them more harm than good in the long run.

Esau's Rash Mistake

In Genesis 25, we read about Jacob and Esau, two brothers who both struggled with waiting for what they wanted. Esau was the oldest son, which meant he had a right to receive a bigger inheritance than his younger brother Jacob. However, Esau forfeited his birthright for something temporary. The scripture states:

“Once when Jacob was cooking stew, Esau came in from the field, and he was exhausted. And Esau said to Jacob, ‘Let me eat some of that red stew, for I am exhausted!’ Jacob said, ‘Sell me your birthright now. Esau said, ‘I am about to die; of what use is a birthright to me?’  Jacob said, ‘Swear to me now.’ So he swore to him and sold his birthright to Jacob…Thus Esau despised his birthright.”

–Genesis 25:29-35 NIV

You read that correctly. Esau gave up his God given right as his father’s first born child for a bowl of soup. While it may sound crazy, a lot of us have turned our noses up at God’s promises, for a cheap counterfeit that could not even pale in comparison to His blessings for our lives.

Evidently, Esau’s rash decision was fueled by impatience. Because he impulsively acted based on his feelings, he made a choice that not only affected his fate, but the future of his descendants who would walk the earth long after he was gone.

It is highly unlikely Esau would have died from hunger the exact moment his hunger pangs hit him, but because of exhaustion, he cheated himself out of a great thing for a good thing.

Think about it, there was nothing wrong with Esau craving a hearty meal after working hard in the field all day. He fell into error when he made a foolish trade.

It is very likely that Esau got hungry a few hours after he ate the stew, which meant he probably had to make himself something else to eat and was out of a birthright. While a bowl of lentil soup may not be alluring enough to tempt us, we, like Esau, lose our sense of discernment when we allow less than perfect conditions, coupled with cumbersome emotions, to drive us into making unwise decisions.

Sadly, the devil understands our ability to see the bigger picture becomes clouded when we are in the middle of an unideal situation. That is why he always tries to tempt us when we are at our weakest.

The Consequences of Impatience

Impatience can lead to stress and frustration. It can strain our relationships and affect our mental health. When we are impatient, we often make hasty decisions that we later regret.

By practicing patience, we can avoid these negative outcomes. We can make better decisions and maintain healthier relationships.

The Importance of Patience

The Bible says believers should be “in the world but not of it” (John 17:14-16). That is why patience, though an unpopular quality in today’s fast-paced world, should be a revered virtue in the lives of those who love God.

In fact, His Word constantly underscores the importance of having patience and explains how hastiness can lead to ruin. The book of Proverbs gives us two clear examples:

“The plans of the diligent lead surely to plenty, but those of everyone who is hasty, surely to poverty." –Proverbs 21:5 NIV

“Do you see a man hasty in his words? There is more hope for a fool than for him.” –Proverbs 29:20 NIV

King Saul's Impatient Mistake

The scripture also displays the importance of patience by showcasing the life of Saul, the first king of Israel. The Benjaminite is a prominent example who exemplifies the danger of impatience.

In the book of Samuel, we learn Saul took no delight in waiting patiently for God, or following His instructions. As a result, he set himself and his posterity on the course for ruin. After Saul had reigned in Israel for two years, the rival Philistine army assembled to launch an attack on Israel.

At the time, the Israelites also gathered together with Saul in Gilgal because in those days, they would not go to war until the priest prayed and made offerings to God on their behalf.  Samuel was the priest and prophet at the beginning of Saul’s reign who told the king to wait for him for seven days (1 Samuel 10:8-9). However, instead of adhering to the prophet’s instructions, Saul became so restless that he presumptuously offered the burnt offering himself, which was a direct violation of God’s commandment that only allowed priests to carry out sacrifices.

Part of the reason Saul grew impatient was because the people started to scatter after waiting at Gilgal for nearly a week. In fear, he decided to carry out the prophet’s priestly duty. Right after Saul broke God’s commandment, Samuel showed up just as he said he would.

“And Samuel said, ‘What have you done?’ Saul said, ‘When I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that you did not come within the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered together at Michmash, then I said, The Philistines will now come down on me at Gilgal, and I have not made supplication to the LORD. 

“Therefore I felt compelled, and offered a burnt offering. ‘And Samuel said to Saul, ‘You have done foolishly. You have not kept the commandment of the LORD your God, which He commanded you. For now the LORD would have established your kingdom over Israel forever.”

–1 Samuel 13:11-13 NKJV

If Saul had waited a few more hours for Samuel, God would have established his kingdom over Israel forever. Impatience cost Saul an eternal dynasty and robbed his descendants of the honor of being kings in Israel.

Conclusion

Though the stories of Esau and Saul are tragic, they are cautionary tales that remind us of the importance of waiting on the Lord and being obedient during the waiting season.

We hear the phrase waiting on the Lord a lot, but what does it really mean? Well the word “wait” means to “remain stationary in expectation.” It is easy to assume the act of waiting is passive; however, to be still and trust the Lord is to be intentional about placing our hope and faith in him.