Patience does not come easily and is probably harder now to develop than it has ever been.
On a daily basis, we may encounter people that are frustrated and discouraged by the issues in their lives. They want to lash out or feel like doing so, but the fact is that God wants us to stay calm and be patient with people and situations.
According to Robert M. Schuller, former television evangelist, “Never cut a tree down in the wintertime. Never make a negative decision in the low time. Never make your most important decisions when you are in your worst moods. Wait. Be patient. The storm will pass. The spring will come.”
Patience is the ability to tolerate waiting, delay or frustration without becoming agitated or upset. It’s the ability to be able to control our emotions and or impulses and proceed calmly when faced with difficulties. Patience does not come easily and is probably harder now to develop than it has ever been.
When we think about our world today, everything is instant such as the technological advancements and the amount of credit that is readily available. This has allowed us to experience, obtain, and consume just about anything we want – almost immediately. The fact is that if we want to reach our goals, have successful relationships, and achieve personal peace, developing patience is essential and also helpful in many situations. When you think about it, most things that are worthwhile and important cannot take place right away. It takes time, dedication and effort to achieve. Today, more than ever patience is a virtue.
There are benefits of developing patients: 1) Reduces stress levels which make us happier and healthier. 2) Promotes better decision-making. Taking the time to solve problems requires patience and deliberation. 3) Helps develop understanding, empathy and compassion.
Not only are there benefits of developing patience, there are also ways to practice the trait. The first is to read. If you don’t have time to read for hours, simply read a book at a comfortable pace.
The second is to shift your perspective. Whatever you see in life is from a limited perspective. When one is impatient, it is often rooted in a different perspective. The third is to grow plants. If you want to be more patient, try buying plants or flowers. With a practice of gardening, you may learn that patience is the key to being successful. I have a friend who has become an excellent gardener and seems to enjoy this activity.
The third way is to cook more (from scratch). You can avoid buying fast-food and find that cooking from scratch requires great patience and practice. The more you cook the more patience you will need. Not only does cooking create a greater sense of patience, it also provides a great sense of personal achievement and helps one to learn an important skillset that is certain to impress your family and friends.
Most would agree that the educational field, especially working with young people is that exercising patience is not only advantageous for the students, but is often helpful for the educator.
The final means of developing patience is to work at doing more creative activities. Creative expression can be frustrating when your ideas don’t click, but through patience, the ideas will eventually connect if you are patient enough to express them physically.
According to Joyce Meyer, a charismatic Christian author and speaker, “Patience is not just about waiting for something…it’s about how you wait or your attitude while you wait.”
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