I'm really patient unless you make me wait

Last night in Community Group we were talking about areas of our life where we need God to work. I shared something that surprised my group. I stink at being patient.

A few weeks ago I asked God to show me what I needed to work on. This is always one of those prayers that God answers quickly for me. For the last week it's as if incredibly slow people have been placed in my path to reveal how impatient I am.

I was trying to park at the grocery store the other day and a woman, who had one foot in the grave, was moving at a snail like pace across the street. At first I didn't mind waiting for her, but after a minute of watching her cross the street I wanted to get out of my car, pick her up and put her in a shopping cart to wheel her into the store.

Later in the week there was a woman who was on an elliptical at the gym. All the machines I normally use were taken so I decided to hop on a machine that I don't really like. I watched this woman on the elliptical move so slow the machine would ask if she was still there in between strides. I'm not joking. It was so slow I thought she was moving in slow motion. The whole time I was getting really frustrated because she was on the machine that I use.

For about a week now whenever someone moves at a slug like pace and they are in my way I start singing a song that I used to listen to as a kid. The song lyrics were something like...

Have patience

have patience

don't be in such a hurry

when you get impatient you only start to worry

Remember

Remember

that God is patient too

and think about all the times that others have been patient for you.

It's funny but singing this song is the only thing that helps calm my impatience down. If you would like to hear a snail sing this song click here. Maybe it will help you if you are like me and struggle with being patient.