Remembering to be Patient in an Impatient World
How long do you wait to get an answer from the Lord? I was sitting in the doctor’s office and it had been over 30 minutes since the nurse took my vitals, swabbed me for the flu and left the room. I was highly upset that it was taking so long to see the doctor and my patience was running thin! At this point, I was ready to just walk out of the Urgent Care and be content that whatever was wrong with me would work itself out, or I would just take some meds to ease my pain.
When I text my husband and told him I was leaving, he said “You came that far, it makes no sense to leave.” He definitely made me rethink my decision. So, I sat and waited, but just as I decided to walk out again, the doctor came walking in. Lucky him I thought, but, I’m the one who should be thankful. I can’t diagnose myself. Although the wait was a bit longer than usual, it could have been for a reason much greater than him being slow.
Hmm….
I began to wonder, how many times do we pray to God for something and then become impatient? We decide to just handle the situation on our own. What is the outcome? Is it positive and everything we wanted, or did we realize that our timing wasn’t as “perfect” as we presumed?
Patience is such a major key in all things we do in life. Yet, it’s such a hard concept to grasp sometimes. When we want something, we want it immediately. Heck, that’s why we love microwaves, fast food places, and Amazon Prime. Everything needs to be done in a hurry, as fast as possible.
Our patience has become so thin and some of us don’t even realize it. In this fast-paced life, we forget the simple phrases “patience is a virtue,” and “the best things come to those who wait.” Sometimes the Lord says hold on, or not yet, but we need to remember there is nothing that we can do without him.
Life is a journey, and we shouldn’t rush it. We should enjoy every day and all the aspects life has to offer. We should “stop to smell the roses.” Take a long walk, have self reflection, spend quality time with the Lord and our families. The more we incorporate the practice of patience in our daily lives, the better we become. The awesome project or business idea we have will require nurturing and time to mature to be executed well, so we shouldn’t rush it. We don’t walk before we crawl, and we shouldn’t expect God to be in a rush just because we are.
Today, we are living in a world where we want everything to happen quickly and on our own time. The problem is we don’t dictate when, where, or how things happen. We can plan, and we can pray, but it’s up to God to make the final decision. Our trust should be in the Lord, leaning not on our own understanding. If we acknowledge him, HE will direct our paths. He is our provider, and protector. Be patient and wait on him!
18 Comments
Amanda
What a great article! Patience is such an important virtue and so needed in our world and in our homes today.
LaToya
Thank you! It is.
Sarah
I’ve learned a ton about myself during the pandemic and being at home for the past 3.5 months. I really think I’ve become more patient and understanding – so I hope I can maintain my new outlook as time progresses! Sometimes we just have to go with the flow, no matter how much we’re conditioned for instant gratification!
LaToya
That’s awesome Sarah! You can do it!
Stephanie
This is a good reminder! It can be so hard to have to wait, but you’re right His plan and ways are worth the wait and being patient for.
LaToya
Waiting can be hard indeed! lol
Yvette
I loved every word of this. Thank you so much!
LaToya
Aww 🙂
Angela
Oh wow I struggle with this all the time. Also as a mom, living in a BUSY and GO GO GO world, it is hard to slow down and just be at my kids’ pace which is so much more wonderful!
LaToya
Sometimes we can learn a thing or two from our kids. LOL
Cindy Mailhot
Patience is definitely not my strong point. I am a type A personality and a get out of my way so I can get it done kind of person. I struggle with patience in a lot of ways.
LaToya
Awww, you’ll get there. It’s something we all have to work on.
Sabrina DeWalt
Thank you for the reminder.
Emily Ackerman
Sometimes I sit back and wonder why I’m in a such a hurry, whether it’s with my kids or whatever. I def need to remember patients more!
Kay
Patience can definitely be hard sometimes. Especially in stressful situations. Great article!
Chelsea
Oh boy, you are SO right! Patience is something I struggle with. But this pandemic has really helped me improve upon it. I’ve found all those hours spent waiting in line outside the grocery store to shop for essentials has given me loads of opportunities to get better. Lately, I’ve become more patient while taking a few deep breaths, picking up on details around me, and saying prayers of thanksgiving for the blessings in my life. Those seem to make the time go a bit faster. And I’ve always said the best teacher of patience for my kids was going to church on Sundays. 😉
LaToya
Glad you are getting better at being patient. Stayed prayed up girl! 🙂
Barbara
Really great reminders of things we all know, yet fail to remember in the moment! Thank you for your insight!