Do You Possess Yourself?

I consistently, and probably always will, struggle with patience. It is only when I think of patience in terms of choosing instead of reacting that I have any victory. The times where I lose my patience are when I view it as an emotion that I lack rather than a decision that I make. Is it an emotion? Or is it an internal choice whereby we hold our tongue and thoughts captive? Henry Scudder, in his book, "The Christian's Daily Walk," captures the idea of patience beautifully:

"A man without patience, is not his own man: he has not power to rule over his own spirit, Prov 25:28, nor yet of his own body. The tongue, hands, and feet of an impatient man will not be held in by reason. But he that is patient, enjoys himself, and has rule over his spirit, Prov 16:32; no affliction can put him out of possession of himself."

This is extremely helpful when battling impatience. Rather than waiting or striving for some unseen emotion, take possession of yourself, rule over your spirit, and have your body in submission.