| Change can be frustrating, but patience is the capacity to accept or tolerate delay, trouble, or suffering without getting angry or upset. Oftentimes, when remodeling, it isn’t as simple as removing a wall and just cleaning up the debris. We may need to add a support beam … the support beam may be far more expensive than we anticipated … there may be unexpected damage that needs to first be repaired … the tiles we want may be back-ordered … and the list goes on … We usually want it done right away – but it doesn’t happen just like that. We need to have patience with the process. It’s the same when we are building our vibrant lives. Sometimes we don’t get it right on the first pass, and we need to take a step back, evaluate our options, and correct our course of action. As my dad used to say to me (and then I used to say to my kids), “Hold your horses, young lady!” The fact is, impatience is a definite sign of immaturity – we see it in our kids. They just can’t tolerate a delay! But it’s also us. It’s a bit of entitlement, too, as we EXPECT it to be easy, hackable, shortcuttable, etc. What if your contractor was building your house, and he took your blueprint and handed it back to you, saying, “We’re not making the changes you want. We either do it like this or not at all!” But that’s what we do to ourselves … often we refuse to give ourselves grace and flexibility. The good stuff takes time, and most folks don’t get to the good stuff because they just plain don’t stay the course! OUCH! A solid foundation takes time to build. In the Bible, the famous passage on love, 1 Corinthians 13, describes the first virtue of love as patience … Love is patient … Talking about self-control isn’t very popular, but that’s exactly what patience is – an exercise of self-control. What if we had patience with ourselves, the same way we have patience with a toddler learning to walk? When we allow for patience, we allow for process, which allows for progress. Patience helps us pause, whether it’s feelings of being out of control or a need to get our thoughts back in order and think about what we’ll say next. Patience serves us well – here’s how: 1. Focus – it helps us to both see the goal and also achieve it because we stop focusing on the discomfort. 2. It puts grit in our veins. We stick with it, even when things get tough. 3. It helps us make better choices because we have goals. 4. It gives us the opportunity to develop new skills. Think about sports, hobbies, cooking, carpentry – all take time and patience to master. 5. When you’re patient, you feel better about yourself mentally … 6. And physically – research shows that they’re linked! 7. You become kinder and gentler. If you are patient with yourself, you’ll be patient with others. 8. You find Peace in the Process, and this leads to Progress. 9. You become a better friend and a better listener. “Patience is not the ability to wait, but the ability to keep a good attitude while waiting.” – Joyce Meyer |
