Patience?

One of the most challenging things I find in life is having a good dose of patience. Patience as defined by Merriam-Webster is “bearing pains or trails calmly or without complaint, manifesting forbearance under provocation or strain, not hasty or impetuous, and steadfast despite opposition, difficulty, or adversity.” I find many times while waiting on the Lord that my patience is running thin, and I want to go out and handle things my way. When I look at all the challenges in my life and in society today, it is hard to sit back and pray. It is difficult to wait on the Lord to guide and help me find the path that He wants me to follow, versus the path I want to follow. At times, the path I am on may be the one that God desires, but typically, I find that my path is more orientated toward action, pride, and getting things done (a lack of patience).

I grew up in a culture that did not value patience. The culture taught me to get things done quickly and efficiently. I was always trying to get everything done as speedily as possible. Life was about speed, the faster you could go and get everything done, the more time you would have to do the other tasks that required your attention. This attitude is very counter to the one that the Lord wants us to have of being patient and waiting on God to give us guidance and direction. As Proverbs 19:20 shares “Many are the plan in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.” Proverbs 20:24 goes on to state “A man’s steps are from the Lord; how then can man understand his way?” Again Proverbs 21:2 “Every way of a man is right in his own eye, but the Lord weights the heart.”

As I have learned over my lifetime, patience is a necessity to walking with God and trying to live a lifestyle of humility and seeking God in all that I do. This is not an easy task, just as being patient and waiting on the Lord is not easy, but if we can do this, even a little bit, many blessings will come our way. Every time I get in a hurry, my pride takes over and tells me “I don’t need patience, just get it done.” When this happens, it never works out the way I had hoped. But, when I wait on the Lord and listened to His prompting and encouragement, it is amazing how things come together, and how people are blessed (the gift of true patience). A good example is when I am taking a long road trip. I have learned that you have at least two choices, take the interstate to quickly get to where you want to go (missing everything, but getting to your destination quickly). Or, take the side roads and experience the small towns, the beautiful scenery, the unique attributes of the area, and getting a better understanding of the local culture. In some sense, I think this is the benefit of being patient in your journey with the Lord. If you take your time, wait on the Lord, He will share many beautiful things with you. Further, when you are being patient, the Lord allows us to listen, to discern, to hear God’s voice, and see the small things in life that otherwise we might miss. Once we hear God’s voice through prayer, dreams, through other people, or a difficult situation, we need to be obedient, and that is when your patience pays off. At this point you will be pursing God’s will and calling versus getting to your destination quickly, but missing God’s voice. It is my prayer that we can all wait on the Lord, be patient, and learn to hear his voice, even in the busiest of times.