Patience

It takes patience to wait for blooms. I have so very little.  You’ve read that facetious prayer, “Lord, give me patience RIGHT NOW!!” Well, that might have originated with me.

Thursday I was told the results of my MRI would come this week. Friday the surgeon told us Beloved Husband’s fistula surgery would be scheduled this week. I want to know  the day, hour, minute – and I have to wait.  It’s a good thing our last Sunday School lesson was on patience. It covered:

Charity suffereth long, and is kind; (1 Corinthians 13:4a KJV)

Yep, a whole lesson on half a verse. The lesson was four 8.5x11 pages, too, so that half verse covered a lot. It told us that the Greek μακροθυμέω, translated as ‘suffereth long’ means “be patient; patiently endure.” That reminds me of another verse:

In your patience possess ye your souls. (Luke 21:19 KJV)

There are a couple of ways of reading that, but I like what Matthew Henry wrote:

“In suffering times, set patience upon the guard for the preserving of your souls; by it keep your souls composed and in a good frame, and keep out all those impressions which would ruffle you and put you out of temper.”

I found it odd that ‘patience’ is not used in the Old Testament, though it’s used in 33 New Testament verses. It’s used in lists that teach us godliness:

For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. (1 Timothy 6:10-11 KJV)

And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. (2 Peter 1:5-7 KJV)

The lesson suggested “incorporate patience into your daily life,” then reminds us it’s already there in God’s patience with us. God has certainly been patient with me! It’s that example I should be using in my patience with others. Running out of patience actually indicates a lack of love. Being patient with people (everyone, not just loved ones) means taking time to communicate to avoid misunderstandings and conflicts.

Being patient also means overlooking faults in others as well as being willing to listen to them. Listen closely, with understanding and without interruptions. Finally, being patient means that we are to respect different viewpoints.  That doesn’t mean accepting them as truth, but to respect the individual holding them.

It is not our job to change people, to expect them to change or even to require that they change. Change comes from within and has to do with a change of spirit. We may pray for it, but God is the only one that requires it – and He requires it from each of us.

Let’s work on our own spiritual changes with patience and God’s help. We all have much to learn and much to do. What’s next on your list?