Patience

Women of Faith:

I am a very impatient person. I want to get places fast, get things done and move on. Cars traveling slowly, people walking to “smell the roses,” and people who weigh out their decisions carefully thinking about what others will think can sometimes drive me crazy. And bureauracy frustrates me (and guess what I work with every day!)

Yet, I know God puts these obstacles in my life for a reason. He puts the slow drivers in front of me so that I don’t get a speeding ticket (has happened more than once (not the ticket, the slow driver!) He puts the people that smell the roses in front of me so that I stop and appreciate the beauty around me. And those people weighing out decisions have more than once caused me to change my own mind and do something differently which had a better outcome than the path I would have taken.

I also know that impatience does not make me a “good” person. It is often the cause of anger, frustration, ill spoken words and judgement. It is part of my constant “chanting” prayer, “help me Lord, give me patience, slow me down.”

My impatience in day to day tasks follows directly into my faith life. There, I want others to understand, accept, and care about their faith life as much or more than I do. I want others to “see the need for God” just as I “see a need for him.” And, I want us to be ONE, truly ONE. I have to keep reminding myself that God has “perfect timing.” And that these things will come when it is His time, not mine.

We have all heard and thought about the answer to the question: “What would you most like to achieve?” And almost laughed when the answer was “World peace.” My similar answer to that question would be this, “I want, what would have to be heaven on earth, I want oneness. I want a place where love abounds, where we are all one, where we have One God and One heavenly goal, One Church, One Faith, and One Truth.” I want us to all worship in One church every week, not just on special events, like weddings and funerals.

Of course, this answer leads to me to further impatience! And I ask “why?” Why does everyone else not want to learn the faith, why do so many chose to live less than truthful lives, why is there so much division, and so little understanding between people especially between Christians?” Sometimes, when I attend a retreat with all faiths, or a wedding or funeral, which by nature are interdenominational, I can almost cheer the unity I feel. And at other times all I can see is division: Division in families, division in marriages, division in churches.

Paul gave these instructions to the Ephesians about patience and unity: Eph 4:1-13” Brothers and sisters, I, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to live in a manner worthy of the calling you have received, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another through love, striving to preserve the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace: one body and one Spirit, as you were also called to the one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. And he gave some as apostles, others as prophets, others as evangelists, others as pastors and teachers, to equip the holy ones for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of faith and knowledge of the Son of God, to mature to manhood, to the extent of the full stature of Christ.”

Paul asked for patience in striving to preserve the unity of the Spirit through a bond of peace so that the end result will be one church, one faith, one baptism, and one God over all. I have to remember that impatience is not the way to get there, but rather the key is patience, to bear with one another thru love.

What am I doing to “slow” myself down? Do I appreciate the unity that we know as Christians enough, or does my impatience blind me to the “good” things we are achieving together? Does my impatience give the devil a stronghold to make me angry, or do I instead use my times of impatience to refocus and remind myself that God is in charge and God will make it all work, “in his own time.”

Dear God: “Here I am Lord, I come to do your will.” Forgive my impatience, which has led to frustration and anger. Forgive my rushing and “have it all quickly” attitude.”Thank you for putting the right obstacles in my path to slow me down, and for teaching me patience. Thank you for glimpses of heaven and moments of unity, like witnessing a long married couples anniversary, or celebrating family events together. Help me to continue to pray, to never give up, to be patient and have understanding of differences. Remind me to “stop and smell the roses,” and to enjoy different recipes of life. Give me patience to live “worthy of your calling,” and to help others to “attain the unity of faith and knowledge.” In Your Name I Pray, Amen.

Patient Blessings,
Charlotte