"I waited patiently for the Lord; and He inclined
unto me, and heard my cry." Psalm 40:1.
"A man's wisdom gives him patience."
Proverbs 19:11.
It may be true that "everything comes if a man will
only wait." Beaconsfield. It is certain that waiting
is so frustrating and annoying that to be told to be patient
is an instruction hard to obey, whatever the circumstances
and whoever the sufferer. A lady though claimed:
"Patience is a virtue, possess it if you can, seldom
in a woman and never in a man."
But a fellow exchanged "woman" for "man"
to make a different claim.
We could well conclude, of course, that women are more patient
and they show it in the selfless service they give in everything
they do. Wifely commonsense has calmed many a husband when
impatience threatened a serious rise in his blood pressure.
Want of patience has been the cause of much human suffering.
Its iff-effects are so all embracing that everyone is unhappily
aware of them. They are the perpetual warnings that if patience
is a virtue to be fostered, impatience must be avoided or
controlled and trouble averted. Patience is the determination
of mind and will to think and act thoughtfully and carefully.
To many it is an approach to life personal and pertinent to
how they live and what they contribute to society. "Patience
is the art of hoping." We are reminded that they also
serve who only stand and wait."
Many things make for frustration to explain why we act and
react impatiently, noisely and sometimes aggressively at whoever
and whatever is aggravating us. We may feel that the reasons
for our impatience justify our angry responses.
"Letting off steam" gives us momentary satisfaction
when we get the grievance "off our chest." Too often,
though, those to whom we complain are not responsible for
the delay, and we are left feeling sorry for them and for
ourselves because of how we reacted to a problem. Impatience,
like worry, for addressing a problem is ineffective, and could
be hurtful to our relations with others and a belittling of
ourselves. We may think this on worry is also applicable to
patience:
"Worry is like sitting on a rocking horse. It will
give you something to do, but it won't get you anywhere."
There is this good advice from St. Paul:
"Don't worry about anything, instead pray about everything
tell God your needs and don't forget to thank Him for his
answers." Philippians 4:6.
The need for patience is constant, for life is a matter of
speeds, difficulties and obstacles. If we would live happily
and peacefully we must be patient with other people and in
control of ourselves. We should not demand, or expect, things
to happen always in our time or on that agreed with another.
What we want may be the desirable, it is not certain to be
the available, and often for regrettable reasons. St. James,
the ever practical says:
"The testing of your faith produces patience. But
let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect
and complete lacking nothing." 1:3,4.
We should bear our problems patiently if not joyfully.
The Christian faith, with the pattern life of Jesus, has
a Biblical emphasis on the character and conduct of the Christian.
And patience has its place in the Christian virtues with their
love of God, and of people expressed in goodness, kindness
and gentleness.
The Christian faith is at its best when it is at its most
practical; when Christians are effective in what they say
and do for God and people. Patience is the "ballast fo
the soul that will keep it from rolling and tumbling in the
greater storms." Bishop Hopkins. It is a maxim of life,
"To know how to wait is the great secret of success."
When you think of it there is no great achievement that is
not the result of patient working and waiting."
"Let nothing, disturb thee,
Nothing affright thee,
All things are passing;
God never changeth;
Patient endurance
Attaineth to all things,
Who God possesseth,
In nothing is wanting;
Alone God sufficieth."
Longfellow.
May we pray:
"God, grant me the serenity to accept things
I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can,
and wisdom to know the difference."
Canon Dr. S.E. Long
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