The Privilege of Learning Patience
Meagan Blessing 
Why we would be wise to slow down in a world that has lost the art of patience.
We all wish we had patience, but few of us want to get it.
We lose it, run out of it, try it, and wear it thin.
Most of us would agree we don't have enough of it.
Patience is a virtue, but what does that mean? Virtue is moral excellence or righteousness, good or admirable qualities or properties, effective force; power or potency.
This final definition is the one I want to highlight. Patience is powerful because of the freedom it brings in stressful situations. When we are impatient, it is usually an indicator of anxiety. We are uncertain of a favorable outcome to our dilemma; therefore, we are impatient. We pace, fret, and stew, wanting the circumstance to resolve so we can escape from tension.
Meanwhile, our blood pressure is rising, and we are working ourselves into a state of heightened agitation.
What we fail to realize is that patience is a potent force that contains the power to help us remain calm and stress-free amidst unsettling times. It is an art developed through practice under trying circumstances.
It is a privilege to learn to be patient, but most of us, having not grasped this truth, choose to be continually annoyed when things do not move as quickly as possible.
When we have developed a certain amount of patience, we can wait calmly and contentedly during unexpected delays. Our ability to adopt a mindset trained by patience means that we are adaptable and more apt to be cheerful or serene in adversity.
We are far more likely to notice our surroundings, so we do not miss the gifts we would not have seen had we been rushing to get from one place to another.
Patient people are less irritable, better listeners, more influential thinkers, and meticulous workers.
Patient people tend to have a high standard for excellence and portray themselves as trustworthy instead of rash or impulsive.
"Whoever is patient has great understanding, but one who is quick-tempered displays folly." (Prov. 14:29)
How do we learn patience?
Let me first point out that nothing worth having comes cheaply. It is true that the fruit of the Spirit only grows in 'hard' soil.
Patience is grown in adversity when we feel we have the least capacity to develop it, when time is of the essence, and when we simply cannot wait. It forms under pressure and, when ripened, is cured under extreme tension until it is an immovable force to be reckoned with.
Have you ever attempted to rush a patient person? They don't budge. They have learned that patience is powerful, and they refuse to give up their 'fruit.'
Additionally, they are not usually concerned about the outcome of their situation, knowing somehow that it will resolve favorably. Likely, they have been in many stressful situations and have learned the virtue of patience.
I bless you, dear reader, to look diligently for your next opportunity to develop patience in your own life and welcome it with intentionality; knowing the difficulty will allow you to assess whatever circumstances you encounter calmly and with minimal stress.
It's a slow process, but I believe it is worth the wait.
Categories: : Fruit of the Spirit, Mindset, Patience