Test

I was thinking the other day about patience. “Patience is a virtue, possess it if you can, it’s seldom found in women and never in a man . . . ” I have no idea who came up with that little grain of nonsense. I was thinking about patience as an attitude, as a way of life and when I asked myself, “how would one really become patient, really live patiently,” two things came to mind.

First of all, patience is very closely linked to trust. When someone has something you want, if you could really believe that they had your best interests at heart, then wouldn’t it be easier to wait patiently? This doesn’t happen very often as far as us mortals are concerned. At our house the standing command is “ask nicely, wait patiently . . .” I have tried to instruct my children that standing with hands on hips, sighing dramatically and stomping one’s feet are not actions which constitute waiting patiently. But, it is hard for them to really trust that they are going to get a turn when the one controlling the issue is another child, possibly a younger child because children tend to be, to a certain extent, out for number one, and very into what’s ‘fair’, not necessarily what’s right, or what will create an atmosphere of harmony. So, yes it is hard to be patient when the one you are waiting on is self interested and taking an extra long turn!

But, God is not self interested. Time and time again He guarantees us that His interests are in our progression, our salvation, our happiness – the real sort of happiness, not flash in the pan distractions. So, if we can just trust that the one being who is controlling the timetables of our lives is the one being who has promised us happiness, joy and ultimate fulfillment, then doesn’t that make waiting patiently a privilege instead of a chore?

The other concept that I think patience must be linked to is perspective. This is tough for the human mind. I don’t know how many times I have started a rant or a whine with, “now, I know that there are people somewhere in the world who have it a lot worse than I do, but . . .” But, what? God isn’t interested in those facts either way, I don’t think. I think that God is interested in us each one at a time, at where we are right now, at where we have been and where our potential can take us. When we are in tune with Him and His will, then we can be of service to those around us – but that is a process of perspective. When I come to Him with a list of grievances He isn’t calculating my relief in terms relative to the whole of humanity. No. I think that He is listening to my voice from the beginning of my existence, my voice now that I am here, and my voice as He knows it can be in the eternities. I think that God’s perspective is to bring those three voices into harmony with one another. I think that God is saying, “Yes, I see that this is temporarily vexing, but I see where you were, where you are now, and where you can go and so I am not so interested in immediate fixes, but in long term investments.” If I give God the burden of perspective and try in some small way to accept that this whole production is a work in progress and I am really only cognizant of the here and now for the very most part, then, waiting patiently seems like an absolute must. Stomping my foot and sighing loudly is the equivalent of leaving the theatre before th final act plays out. Who would do such a thing?

The bus is going to come, but will anyone still be standing next to you when it arrives if you are acting spoiled and complaining the whole time while you wait? The elevator’s speed ascending or descending isn’t relative to how many times you push that button . . . what would the world be like if we were all just a little more patient, as a characteristic, not just as a polite front?