You’ve probably heard the old saying that if you want to have more patience you should pray for trials, for that is the way God develops patience in us (James 1:2-4; Romans 5:3-4). We would all agree that patience is a virtue, but does that mean impatience is a sin? Or is impatience just a natural response to frustrating or difficult circumstances? Sometimes we genuinely need something right away but it isn’t forthcoming. How can we not be impatient at times like that?
To discover if impatience is a sin or not, let’s look at our perfect standard – Jesus. Did He ever get impatient? He cast the moneychangers out of the temple (Mark 11:15-17), but He was in total control as He did that for He had the self-control to first stop and weave a whip to use (John 2:13-16). That doesn’t sound like an impatient person. Try stopping and weaving something the next time you get impatient!
Patience is a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). That means we can’t produce the real thing on our own. When is the last time you tried to act patient when you were really impatient? How did that work out for you? The real thing can’t be faked. A person can only pretend to be patient for so long. No, it has to be real or it will soon fall apart.
The dictionary says impatience is “having or showing a tendency to be quickly irritated or provoked; intolerant of; restlessly eager.” It is an inability to wait for something and a desire to have what you want right away. Everyone experiences it over the course of their lives. Impatience is really a form of anger. We are angry at whatever is inconveniencing us.
Nobody likes to feel impatient, or be around an impatient person. We seldom identify it as sin unless it gets way out of control. We justify it and blame it on who or what caused our frustration. If everyone and everything would be perfect we wouldn’t have to be impatient. Impatience is such a deeply-rooted part of us we often mislabel it. We are born impatient. Have you ever tried to talk a crying baby into being patient until you can meet their needs? Doesn’t work, and not just because they don’t understand you.
When you really think about it, there is pride behind our impatience. Funny how pride is behind all sins! Satan started it (1 Timothy 3:6; Isaiah 14; Ezekiel 28), but we caught on fast. Our pride and self-centeredness makes us think things should always go the way we want. We don’t realize God’s timings are different than ours – and He’s never late! Impatience is saying God’s plan is wrong and we know better than Him. It’s not a new problem. The Psalmist writes: “Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!” (Psalm 27:4).
Throughout the Bible, we see instances of people growing impatient while they wait for good things and sinning as a result of it. God promised Abraham and Sarah a child, even though they were old and beyond child-bearing years. But He did not bless them right away. As they waited, they grew inpatient. Sarah, then called Sarai, encouraged her husband (who was called Abram at that time) to have a child with her slave Hagar. Also impatient, Abram agreed. That created one problem after another for them (Genesis 16-21) and brought us our Jewish-Arab conflict today.
The Jews got impatient waiting for Moses on Mt Sinai and built a golden calf to worship (Exodus 32). King Saul got impatient waiting for Samuel to come offer a sacrifice so he offered it himself even though he wasn’t a priest. Everything unraveled for him and the nation from there. There ae all kinds of negative consequences from impatience. Once done, they can’t be undone.
How can we learn patience? By responding to disruptions and trials in life, large or small, with trust in God’s sovereign control and faith He knows what He is doing. Impatience shows we don’t really believe He is in control and we need to make things happen when and how we want. Not true! So, get your anger under control by allowing Gods Spirit to indwell you and produce the fruit of patience n you (Galatians 5:22-23). Fruit hangs on the branch, it can’t be attached from without. It comes from within. Patience can’t be something we manufacture on our own. It, too, must come from within. Who better is there to give us patience than the One who is more patient than anyone – God Himself. “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 reach repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).
“A hot-tempered man stirs up strife, but he who is slow to anger quiets contention” (Proverbs 15:18 ).
“Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; don’t get upset over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices! Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Don’t fear; it tends only to evil. For the evildoers shall be cut off, but those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land” (Psalm 37:7-9).
“Better is the end of a thing than its beginning, and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit” (Ecclesiastes 7:8).
“Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer” (Romans 12:12).
Would God say you are impatient, or do you patiently trust His timing for everything?
What makes you impatient?
Why – what is behind your impatience causing it?
cto Rev. Dr. JERRY SCHMOYER
Christian Training Organization
Jerry@ChristianTrainingOrganization.org
(India & Africa & Spanish Outreach, Spiritual Warfare, Family Ministries, Counseling, World View) Copyright © 2026