Our impatience can really cause a lot of grief. Sometimes, in waiting on the Lord we start to make things happen on our own and this most often does not work out well. Different versions of this scripture verse use words like covetous, arrogant, proud heart, puffed up, in the place of greedy. Why is it that we have such a difficult time waiting on God’s perfect timing? Is it our pride? I think often it is. We get stuck on the what will other people think? I deserve better, now. I’ve waited long enough excuses. And the thing is, it never brings peace. It only brings grief.

When I think of situations where pride causes a barrier in relationships, whether with others or with God, I have never found a sense of peace in the situation. There is always conflict, strife, dissension, and contention in these situations, as it says in this Proverb. If, however we place our trust in the Lord we will prosper. Whether this promise of prospering is in a peace that surpasses our understanding or something more, that peace in itself is priceless.