On our first Bible study night, I asked the ladies to sign up to lead one lesson of their choice, and stated that I would take any leftovers. It's no coincidence that the lesson on impatience, irritability, and anger fell to me...it was a conspiracy! ;) No...since the study leader seems to benefit from their preparation, I know the Lord intended this lesson for me. These are three more "respectable sins" that I need to confront. I was hoping for a reprieve from conviction as we work our way through the book (Respectable Sins: Confronting the Sins We Tolerate by Jerry Bridges), but I now realize that's not about to happen. Each lesson causes me to see my "deceitful and desperately wicked heart" (Jeremiah 17:9) in a whole new way.
Why do I struggle with annoyance at the unintentional faults and failures of others, sometimes to the point of irritability (defined by Bridges as being frequent impatience or ease with which a person becomes impatient)? I reflected on situations when I became impatient and irritable with others: irresponsibility and carelessness, lack of punctuality (I recently found a new doctor and hair stylist for this very reason), interrupted or changed plans, to name a few. It's difficult not to give in to the flesh and respond in an unloving manner to the person who is object of my impatience. Bridges wisely reminds us that it's not the actions of others that cause our impatience and irritability. "They merely provide an opportunity for the flesh to assert itself. The actual cause of our impatience lies within our own hearts, in our own attitude of insisting that others around us conform to our expectations." (p. 117) Scripture teaches us that patience is a virtue that must be cultivated if we are to live in obedience to the Lord. Because of our flesh, it will be a life-long process.
The next post will be on anger.
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