PATIENCE

[Kathy]

PATIENCE

 

What is patience? 

 
As I thought about that word this evening. I tried to come up with a definition. I decided to look the word up in a dictionary, thinking that would give me the answer I was looking for. This is what Webster's defines patience as :

Definition of PATIENCE
1 : the capacity, habit, or fact of being patient(see 1 patient)

That made me more curious. As I looked up patient, Webster defines it as :

Definition of PATIENT
1 : bearing pains or trials calmly or without complaint
2 : manifesting forbearance under provocation or strain
3 : not hasty or impetuous
4 : steadfast despite opposition, difficulty, or adversity
5 a : able or willing to bear —used with of b : susceptible, admitting <patient of one interpretation> — pa·tient·ly adverb

Now those were Webster's definitions.

Here's what Wiki has to say about the word :

Patience (or forbearing) is the state of endurance under difficult circumstances, which can mean persevering in the face of delay or provocation without acting on annoyance/anger in a negative way; or exhibiting forbearance when under strain, especially when faced with longer-term difficulties. Patience is the level of endurance one can take before negativity. It is also used to refer to the character trait of being steadfast

Here is a definition from a web site: 

  http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G2-3407708523.html?key=01-42160D527E1B...
They define patience as :

PATIENCE (IN THE BIBLE)
The quality or virtue of patience is presented as either forbearance or endurance. In the former sense it is a quality of self-restraint or of not giving way to anger, even in the face of provocation; it is attributed to both God and man and is closely related to mercy and compassion. In the latter sense it is a virtue by which one bears the trials of this life with resignation to God's will, and is therefore associated with hope [see hope (in the bible)]; obviously in this sense it is predicated only of man.

I believe it was this last definition is the one I was hungry for.  For a long time, I don't think I really understood patience. It was my understanding, that patience was waiting and not tapping your foot and sighing heavily.

As We look around the world today, I don't see much patience these days. Those instances of instant messages, texts, email, and the fast pace we are herded in to, patience has been almost lost. Why is that, and why is it so hard to be patience. Not only in everyday life, but the circumstance that evolve around our long term outlooks?

Personally, my patience, wears thin easily. As we wait for circumstance to change and evolve. I at times become disappointed with how the change has become. When we become frustrated with our path, that hasn't turned out the way We though it should, have we lost patience?

The world we live in now, it is easy to become angry that what we have been patient for hasn't come to be yet. The waiting can wear on one. The lesson of being patient is one hard learned. I still haven't learned the virtue of patience.  Each lesson, seems to have a test at the end. I feel I have failed quite a lot of them. Wonder when I Ace one of those tests, will I earn my degree or move on to graduate to more advance courses? If that is the case, I'd like to take a Sabbatical.

 

 

[Cyprium]

Patience is a hard lesson...made all the more so because the name of the game is endurance. The very thing we find so hard about it is what we have to learn in order to move forward and "get it over with". While frustration can beat you up emotionally and even physically drain you, the goal is, never let it shake your faith.

 

Longsuffering is another way to say Patient. Its the virtue with which our Father interacts with us, slow learning creatures. Thankfully He does...and its a virtue He wants us to learn as well. It makes us more compassionate, more steadfast in the face of hard knocks and sturdier all around in our faith and taking ahold of that blessing that comes with it.

 

Yes...it's a hard lesson, but so worth what it takes to learn it. He knows that or He wouldn't be so adamant that we do.

 

The longer the race, the sweeter the sight of the finish line.

[Kathy]

Twelve years ago, I wrote this blog. In prayer today, I was led back to it. After reflecting back on the past 12 years, patience does come with Blessings. Learning how to step out of the boat takes Faith. I waiver still, with that at times. Often needed reminded His Will is way better than mine. A Great Shepherd always protects His herd. Patience will bring good pasture, even if its uphill.