Patience Is a Virtue
We are all very familiar with the phrase “patience is a virtue” and we may also know that patience is one of the qualities found in . But what does it mean to be virtuous or patient? Well, virtue means to have excellent moral standards and a noble character while patience is usually defined as having the capacity to accept trouble, suffering or delay without getting upset or complaining.
Part of being a Christian is having the capacity to accept circumstances that may not be very fortunate and having faith that God will provide a solution. But nowadays patience has become the fruit that is very difficult to grow. Our society sometimes doesn’t value patience the way God does. In a world where everything is moving so fast, where we want everything done now is difficult to even take a moment to breathe. I've found myself in this situation, like when I'm stuck in traffic and I just want to get home, but then I take a deep breath and remember that I can use this time to pray or listen to a sermon. For example, I was once waiting in a long line at the grocery store, feeling frustrated and annoyed, but then I started talking to the person behind me and we ended up having a great conversation about our shared faith - it completely shifted my perspective and helped me practice patience in a mundane situation. I recall another time when I was waiting to hear back about a job I had applied for, and the waiting period seemed endless - I had to remind myself daily to trust in God's timing and plan, and to use that time to focus on my relationship with Him.
If you ever have this feeling where everything is moving so fast and you feel like you can’t catch up, you feel overwhelmed the solution is prayer. Prayer and patience go hand in hand and so does self-control. We have to make time for prayer and be persistent about it. Pray for patience and for the strength to wait and endure discomfort without complaining. We can tolerate difficult situations in life through prayer because prayer gives us the patience we need to endure those situations; that’s what makes patience a virtue. That being said, having self control comes into play when we talk about patience and so does humility. We must have humility to be able to stop ourselves from complaining and accept situations as they come and know that they will pass. For instance, when we're waiting for a job opportunity or a new home, we can choose to trust that God is working everything out for our good.
Being patient is crucial if we want to trust God as our life circumstances change and aren’t always what we would like them to be. We need to trust Him when things seem uncertain, and we can't see what's ahead.
Cultivate and nurture the qualities that show the Holy Spirit is at work in us and that we're connected to God. Trust God because He is our ultimate prize in life.
Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret—it leads only to evil. For those who are evil will be destroyed, but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land. -
