“But if we hope for that which we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.”
Romans 8:25 ASV
A recurring theme for me this week has been patience—my need to cultivate it.
First of all, when speaking of general wellness, it serves as a great reminder that we must practice patience:
- Patience in our hardships. Someone described this in a non-spiritual way, and I love how science and spiritual agree: trouble will only last so long because there is always regression to the mean, and so nothing can stay horrible forever. She said this to me while rationalizing her own patience through a particularly horrible time in her life. Things can stay bad for a very long time, but as I told my son today, everything, good and bad, ends eventually.
- Patience with ourselves: we aren’t perfect. We can only continue to try our best. When we really mess things up, all we can do is pick ourselves up, and try again given the chance, while giving thanks for the chance. I let myself enter a major migraine episode, mainly because I wasn’t sure when the right time to take my medicine was…I don’t like medicating when I don’t have to, but I waited too long. I was kicking myself, and someone reminded me I’m still in a learning stage. Patience.
- Patience with those around us: we aren’t perfect, and neither are they.
There are so many other places to practice patience. I could type all evening. What I’m saying is we’d be a little more mentally well, and our relationships would be a little healthier with a bit more patience.
“Yea, and for this very cause adding to your part all diligence, in your faith supply virtue, an din your virtue, knowledge; and in your knowledge self-control; and in your self-control patience; and in your patience godliness; and in your godliness brotherly kindness; and in your brotherly kindness love.”
2 Peter 1:5-7 ASV
Well, spiritually, like never before in my life, I am seeing, not academically, but with my whole spirit, the fundamental connection between trust and patience. I’ve been really praying on a situation, and telling myself that I was trusting God to handle it. Well, this week, I almost worsened the situation because I became impatient and wanted to move quickly. Interestingly, prior to the events, a friend posted and interesting twist in the fruits of the spirit, so that when I was praying on the decision, patience was very much what I was receiving back. And the self control I exercised then led me down a path of exercising…you guessed it…MORE PATIENCE. What I was ready to steam roll in weeks may take months. But it’s likely for the best.
If I’m trusting God to handle my situations, I’m also trusting his timing. So let me sit down, again.
“Count it all joy, my brethren, when ye fall into manifold temptations; knowing that the proving of your faith worketh patience. And let patience have its perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, lacking nothing.”
James 1:2-4 ASV