“I am a patient person”. How many times have we all said that to ourselves? Sure- we are patient with our close friends who maybe call us out on things and speak truth into our lives. We can also be patient with our coworkers and teammates who often have our backs in the workplace yet can really get under our skin at times.
But how about our children? Are we as patient with them as we are with our friends when our children write on the wall with marker or spill their cereal all over the kitchen floor, for the third time this week?
Or what about our spouses? Are we just as patient with them as we are with our work teammates when there is a difference in opinion or an unforeseen change in plans occurs?
Lastly- what about ourselves? Are we just as patient with ourselves as we are with the people mentioned above?
If you are anything like me- odds are you are not quite as patient as you truly believe you are. I consider myself a very patient person with others, but when it comes to extending that same patience to myself I am like the Cookie Monster, being told not to eat that fresh batch of cookies placed on the plate before me.
I myself was sick the past two weeks. Not just a little sick, oh no. I was a hot mess, emotional, ugly crying, fluids coming out of all orifices, lost my voice, and migraines galore. Not only was I so sick I couldn’t work out, I also called in sick to the office for several days. If you know me personally that’s a big deal!
To say I was impatient with myself during that time would be an understatement! Ask my husband- I probably won the trophy in my family this year for the least patient person. Ha! After a week of agony, a doctors visit and meds, and another week of rest I can say I am on the mend!
This got me thinking - why is this? Why am I able to be so patient with others yet not extend myself the same sort of love and kindness? As I started to research I discovered that this is actually a shared human experience- lacking patience with ourselves is something many of us struggle with.
The Oxford dictionary defines patience as the capacity to accept or tolerate delay, trouble, or suffering without getting angry or upset.
Many of us are able to practice patience with a close friend or family member when they experience a delay, have run into some trouble, or experience some sort of health or financial setback. I can’t even count the number of times I have consoled a friend, prayed with them and over them, and tried to encourage them through the waiting process. Sometimes waiting is part of the process and we just need to learn how to find healthy distractions and recognize all the silver linings as we wait. Take a look at Exodus 14:14; The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.
We are also able to be patient with and remind our kiddos that patience is a virtue. How many times have we sweetly reminded our own kids to practice patience when learning a new concept at school, waiting for a friend to arrive for a play date, or reminding our growing children how good habits now (e.g., brushing teeth, cleaning your room, learning how to cook or do laundry, or personal money management) will pay off in the long run. Again the Bible has something to say here - “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” Galatians 6:9.
So when it comes to being patient with ourselves- what does the Bible have to say? Turns out a lot! But a verse that sticks with me is Ecclesiastes 7:8 “The end of something is better than its beginning. Patience is better than arrogance."
In other words, we must learn to find joy in the journey. The fruit, treasures, and happiness we will find at the end of the waiting season will be worth it. All good things are worth waiting for (and fighting for).
Easier said than done, I know! But I also know that God’s promises are real. And I know that God’s love and plans for us are real. And I know that there is always a purpose for the wait- whether it be character building, a timing thing, or for God to do the impossible and move a mountain we thought could never be moved (or even more- that he moves a mountain we didn’t even know was there in the distance - because of all the fog and grey clouds we brought on ourselves).
May God’s perfect peace be upon you today! I pray that the Cookie Monster in you doesn’t always go right for the plate of cookies, because the steak dinner planned before the dessert might just be even better!