Praying for patience is a dangerous game
I'll be honest...mine is running thin...
I like to think that I am not an anxious person…but then I remember that I AM an anxious person.
So when it comes to asking God for patience, the old saying, “Careful what you wish for” actually has some weight to it…
I have struggled over the past couple of years with adjusting to the turmoil that is surviving in the modern day.
I used to think that life couldn’t be so bad as an adult and then I realized…it’s actually way worse than I thought!
So, I pray for patience a lot because I find myself rushing my kiddos along, trying to speed past cars in traffic, and rushing to get my work done so that I can go get more work done.
And that, my friends, leads to less time to get things done. To enjoy things. And to experience life to the fullest.
So, as I pray for patience, I try to remind myself that The Lord’s Prayer teaches us, “May your [God’s] will be done on earth just as it is in heaven.”
If I want patience, then I am probably going to have to think about what God wants, not what I want.
I want to rush my kids down the sidewalk so we are on time for school…but maybe God wants me to hold my daughter’s hand a little while longer…
Patience only comes from testing…and from reframing the way you think about heaven on earth…
My prayer for today
Our Father, thank you for opportunities to slow down, process, and act accordingly. Spirit, lean into us so we can know when to practice patience when it feels so counter-intuitive. Amen.
Remember
Patience isn’t something given, it is something learned, it is something earned.