Have you ever said, ‘give me patience, Lord, and give it to me now!’ We can see patience as something we don’t have enough of, something we struggle with or something we want more of. Wouldn’t life be so much easier if we had more patience?
My Prayer
I asked God what He wanted to teach me. The word ‘patience’ came into my mind. This wasn’t a reaction to a recent failure to be patient but just a word. Hmmmm . . . ‘Patience’. OK, we’ll see.
Patience when it isn’t necessary
As I went through the following days, the word ‘patience’ floated around in my mind. As I was listening to my co-workers, I would think, ‘patience’. How do I show ‘patience’? It would cause me to pause and listen a little more carefully. Then my husband and I were having a conversation and the word ‘patience’ again floated through my mind. How do I show patience? Again, it had to do with listening and caring.
It’s difficult to show patience when my back is up against the wall. When I’m frustrated with traffic and late for a meeting, patience doesn’t come easily. It feels really good in my soul, however, to show patience and to feel patient. That’s it, . . . it’s a gift! Patience is a gift to both myself and to others.
How to give patience
Have you ever given patience when you didn’t have to? Have you looked into another’s eyes and thought, I want to give you the gift of patience? I want to hear you out and not react with my own thoughts but settle in with yours. It simply requires me to put my own thoughts aside and melt into yours. When our conversation is pleasant it's a great time to practice patience and get good at it.
Practice practice practice
Show some patience this next week. I guarantee it’s going to feel really good. It will feel loving and compassionate. And, the other person will pick up on the gift even though they can’t name it. Show some patience. Give it with your heart and feel the benefits for yourself. More importantly, you’ll learn this skill so it comes naturally when you really need it.