It is a common thing for professed Christians to become impatient, and to excuse their shortcomings by declaring that it is impossible to be delivered from this noisy principle. A certain author in writing of inbred sin as manifested in a converted person, says, "But a sudden temptation comes to him, and he flies into a passion; has lost his temper. What does he do now? A great many get discouraged at this point, doubt their conversion, and are led to believe, after all, there is nothing in religion, and give it up ... But there are some who are not discouraged from the Christian life even by a breakdown like this," etc. Whatever the writer's meaning may be, to say the least, his statements are misleading. Christians do not get angry. Church members may and often do. When any person thus yields to the impatience of his soul he backslides and needs to be reclaimed. Many holiness evangelists, so called, teach that it takes the experience of holiness to give one the victory over anger, but they are mistaken; regeneration will do this. A justified man is a patient man. No matter how severe the trials may be, so long as he retains his grace he does not lose his patience.

     Did you ever hear any one testify something like this? "Before I was sanctified I would get out of patience, I would kick the dog, beat the cow, and storm around the house until the family almost dreaded to see me coming home; but when I was sanctified all this was changed, and I do not get out of patience now." Many honest persons mistake this latter experience for holiness, when in reality it is only regeneration.

     Justified persons do not get out of patience, sanctified persons do not feel impatient; justified persons are saved from yielding to an evil temper, while sanctified persons are saved from the principle, which, if yielded to, would cause them to lose their patience.

     The element of impatience manifests its presence in the justified soul when the wishes or rights of the person are crossed, his word disputed, some insulting remark thrown out, or amid any of the numerous trying, provoking circumstances of everyday life.

     The children do not behave as they should, they actually seem to be "possessed;" it is blue Monday; for the second time the clothes line has broken and the clothes are in the mud. Right in the midst of all the trouble your unsaved husband comes home, and, manlike, scolds because dinner is not ready. You feel something rising in your heart which, if you should yield to it, would cause you to say harsh, bitter words, but if you keep the real blessing of God you do not say them, but hold your peace, crush down the feeling within, and go meekly about your duties. The principle is there, its presence causes a twinge of pain, and the joy you had in your private devotions is gone; as soon as possible you rush to your closet and with tears entreat the Lord for His help and the deliverance you now feel that you so much need.

     The Christian carpenter is at his work; every. thing is going wrong; for the second time the teamster has mixed orders and has not brought the very thing you need; to crown it all, a small boy gathers up one of your choicest tools and deliberately slashes the edge against a nail, then runs off tauntingly as only an ill-mannered, small boy knows how to do. You are liable to feel an "old man's bone" ^[1] arise in your heart, just a little more provocation and you would feel like tying that insulting boy in a knot, but you do not yield. If you do yield, your grace is gone and repentance is in order.

     Some one tells tales on you or insults you to your face; you feel a principle that would resent such treatment and cause you to give back as "good" as you received, but you resist this feeling, and instead of impatient words you speak kindly and could easily kneel anywhere and pray for him. Harbored resentment is unknown, impatient flings are a thing of the past, and unkindness is a foreigner to your life. You feel the evils within, but give them no place in your life.

     Your life is such that if the family were all like you, your home would be a paradise. Love would constantly dwell there, contention would cease, for Christ would reign supreme.

1 John Nelson, In His Life.