Impressions, by Martin Wells Knapp, 38

In a previous excerpt, Knapp stated that there are four features of "impressions" from God. These are Scriptural; Right (consistent with good morals); Providential (in harmony with God's will); and Reasonable. His discussion of "Impressions from Above" continues:

Patience. "Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for him." Jesus never seemed hurried, and yet how busy!

He who tramples beneath his feet the great Scriptural truth that "He that believeth shall not make haste," and is too hurried to candidly canvass the matter, and closes his eyes to reason and God's providences, is "too much possessed of self or Satanic influences" to be led by holy influences. In order to be divinely led we must, says Upham, "cease from self and from its turbulent and deceitful elements; cease to place ourselves and our personal interests foremost and keep our own plans, purposes and aims in entire subjection. For instance, when we ask God to guide us, we must not at the same time cherish in our hearts a secret determination and hope to guide ourselves. . . . The existence of undue eagerness of spirit is an evidence that we are in some degree afraid to trust God, and that we are still too much under the life of nature."

God says:" Be still and know that I am God," and such stillness is frequently necessary to enable one to discern the harmony of the four voices through which God speaks to the soul.

All who can say with the psalmist, "I waited patiently for the Lord," will soon with him be able to add: "And He inclined unto me and heard my cry."

He who attempts to test impressions in a nervous and hurried way, is as unwise as he who would listen to a response from a telephone in that manner. In both cases confusion instead of satisfaction will be the result.

Excerpted from Impressions, by Martin Wells Knapp. Original publication date, 1892. Public domain. My source is here. The previous post in the series is here.