I hate this word. I've always had a problem with it. I've always struggled with it. But...I'm slowly getting better.
patience~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. It is also used to refer to the character trait of being steadfast.
I'm mostly working on this post, because while I'm doing better with it, it's of course still an issue. I searched LDS.org for any info I could get on patience. This quote especially hit me hard...but I needed to hear it:
"Elder Neal A. Maxwell linked patience and faith together when he taught: “Patience is tied very closely to faith in our Heavenly Father. Actually, when we are unduly impatient, we are suggesting that we know what is best—better than does God. Or, at least, we are asserting that our timetable is better than His”" (“Patience,” Ensign, Oct. 1980, 28).
This is so unbelievably true. Heavenly Father always knows best, obviously. How do I so quickly forget this? I know the truth, yet I still struggle. I struggled with patience while waiting for my baptism day to come, then confirmation, and now, struggling to find patience as to what my future holds for me, concerning callings, my job, and even an eternal companion.
Being a single female 27 year old Mormon...patience is necessary. In our faith we are strongly encouraged, really commanded how I see it, to find an eternal companion in order to obtain certain blessings. Um, can we say pressure??? I mean really, I am barely dried off from the baptismal font, and people are already asking me who I'm going to marry? Well gee...I wish I knew! hahaha...not kidding. When this happens, my patience is tested. But I have to keep reminding myself of a quote about patience. I found it especially true in my own life, by constantly asking Heavenly Father in the past to help me gain more patience..."When you pray for patience, do you think God is just going to give you patience? Or is He going to give you the opportunity to be patient?" Yup, you guessed it, God's giving me the opportunity to be patient. He sees that I need it, and that I want it, and so He's doing the best thing possible...He's teaching me patience. It would be very much unlike Heavenly Father to just give something like that, especially when there is a lesson to be learned.
So this was a lot of rambling...but hey, its my blog...so whatever! I'm going to continue to push through and keep learning my constant lessons on patience...maybe I'll get it someday! :)
googled patience...love this pic :)
