According to the Oxford dictionary, patience is the capacity to tolerate delay, trouble, or suffering without becoming angry or upset. In our Bible dictionary patience is the quality of endurance under trials (attitude of heart with respect to things (or an attitude with respect to people as in longsuffering). Patience is a virtue that God prizes highly in man and seems to be best developed under trials.
They say patience is a virtue. It is a desirable quality. It is self control, delaying, not wanting to get what we want when we demand it. Such a strong quality in a man. So easy to explain, to define but hard to live by.
Last night, I feel unworthy of what my eldest son told me. He said they were asked in their Wednesday class in church who they think has great patience. He proudly told me he answered, "Mom and Dad!" I would like to disappear right away; to be invisible. I felt so unworthy of his view of me. He further explained that he has never seen me not being impatient. Aaaaahhhh! I can feel the lightning coming down, looking for me so it can hit me and die right that very moment. It was too much to take. Why? Because I know that I am not the most patient mother, wife...person. I am the one who can become upset in two seconds flat. I am the one who would take another route when there is traffic before me. I am the one who gets nuts when schedules are not followed or plans are changed the last minute. I don't do well under pressure. Hubby knows that when I need to get something done and I am running out of time, you should move aside or i'll knock you down and pass you by. I am the one who kneels and prays to God to give me His wisdom and patience as I go through life every single day. If there's one thing I need, it's this thing called patience. And I don't have great patience.
I love Jakob and I am glad he thinks of me as a mom with great patience. But I know that God is still working on me, perfecting me everyday. Things that come my way that are inconvenient to me are just answers to my prayer for wisdom and patience. These trials are molding me in God's image. Thank the Lord for trials that tries our patience.
Maybe I can also learn from Jethro as pictured here being patient in waiting for food to come at the wedding :)
My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;
Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
James 1:2-4
The lightning found me first...yaaaaawww! :0
ReplyDelete- anonymous? ;)
Hello. I have no idea who you are and you have no idea who I am, but I know that God has been "working on me" as you eloquently put it and cultivating patience in me. I used to think I was patient only to realize I was far from it. I was actually looking up anything online about patience and especially when it ties into love because I feel like I'm about to break out of my skin because I know God is challenging me and pushing me to the very close line of a limit. But within all of this, I pray more, take more faith in Him, and trust Him deeper. So I just wanted to thank you for helping to reinforce my faith and patience.. :) Thank you, and it's great to know the Lord works in so many ways on so many (random, but deliberate) levels! Take care. God truly bless. :)
ReplyDeleteHi, Anonymous!
ReplyDeleteDon't know if this reply will get to you, but I am thankful that God used me as a channel of blessing. Our patience is tried every single day, but our Heavenly Father is so patient, loving and faithful all the time, and He's helping us all the way. I'm learning everyday! Take care and God bless you too!