Impatience

I recently read the book "The Strategy of Satan" by Warren Wiersby. Here are a couple of quotes from that book that struck me:


"Satan seeks to make you impatient with God's will."


"He will try to control your will through pride so that you will think and act independently of the holy will of God."


"Whenever you an I act in direct disobedience to the will of God, we are displaying pride and independence."


"One of the most important lessons the believer must learn is that he cannot be independent of God."


I don't like to wait. I want what I want when I want it, which is usually now! Waiting is hard. Seeking God's will is hard. Waiting on God's will is hard. Sometimes I feel like Abraham, when God told him to pack up his family and "go to the land I will show you." (Genesis 12:1) My experience in following God has been much like that. "Get ready to go. I'm not going to tell you where, just follow Me. Just listen to My voice, I will lead you where I want you to go." This is so against everything within me. I'm the one who prints out a Google Map with step by step directions before I go on a road trip. I like to know exactly where I am going, and exactly how I am going to get there.


But God's plans are always better than my plans (and my plans are pretty good!) I have had to learn to be patient, to be secure in the Lord's promise to lead me, if I will just listen and obey. My prayer is that I will slow down, listen, obey, and follow Him, one step at a time.


So how can I know if I am making the right choices? How can I know if I truly am stepping out in faith and following God, rather than just doing what I think is best? Before you make a big decision, you might try using the following set of questions as a filter:


Test #1:
 "Am I doing this for the glory of God, or just to please myself?"


Test #2: "
Am I rushing ahead or am I willing to wait?"


Test #3: "
Can I defend what I am doing from the Word of God?

"
Test #4: "
As I contemplate this move, do I have peace and joy within?"


Don't allow Satan to use impatience to get you off track. Let the Holy Spirit control you from within. Give it all over to Him, listen, obey, and follow.