Anyone else have trouble with patience, or is it just me?

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. (Gal 5:22-23)

Patience is not one of my best character traits.  In fact most who know me, would be willing to attest to that fact.  Life is so busy, who has time to wait!?!  Well that’s my instinctive reaction.  Could it be that if you wrestle with patience like I do, that part of that battle comes from our fast-paced society?  Could it be that technology, which has made life easier, has also put us on a fast track that continues to speed up?

If I’m running in a race, there are only seconds for me to grab a bottle of water from a friend who is on the sidelines holding it out for me to grab.   If I’m walking in a race, I have a bit longer.  But if I’m not in a race at all, I can saunter to the kitchen and get a bottle of water, sit down with my friend, and talk.

I’m sure I would still be somewhat impatient, even if I wasn’t living in such a fast paced world.  I am a “just get it done” type of person.  That can be a good or a bad thing if it gets out of control.  It is clear to me as I study God’s word, that patience, the ability to wait, be still, and go slow can be a great blessing.

That is one of the reasons why I love the Bible so much.  God teaches us how to live lives full of peace, love, joy, and, yes, PATIENCE.  Through God’s words in our Bible we can learn how to live the life He always intended us to live, and it is life, I never could have enjoyed without learning from and applying the principles of the Bible to my life.

Over the years I have grown much kinder, more loving, faithful, and gentle.  I have learned that I can have joy and peace even when the world around me is collapsing.  But then there is that one word, “patience”. It is the toughest for me to learn and apply.

Nothing stops God from teaching a willing heart.  So God gave me a job where I have to drive on the freeway to work and back all week, week in and week out.  This is where He has been very successful in teaching me patience.   It has been good training He has provided for me, not fun training, but good training.  And I am a lot more patient than I have ever been before.  I think I still have learning to do, but it is so worth the time and effort to listen to God and learn from Him.

I would not trade my life today for anytime in the past.  I love the life God has given me as I have allowed Him to mold me and shape me.  So, even though it is tough at times, I still sing “Spirit of the living God, fall again on me.  Melt me, mold me, fill me, use me.  Spirit of the living God, fall again on me.”

(More information about the hymn, “Spirit of the Living God” can be found at http://www.umcdiscipleship.org/resources/history-of-hymns-spirit-of-the-living-god)