PATIENCE
The capacity to accept and tolerate delay, trouble or suffering without getting angry or upset.
And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all. 1 Thessalonians 5:14
Skilled Characteristics
Enduring
Takes on provocation, annoyance, misfortune, or pain, without complaint or loss of temper
Composed
Suppresses restlessness or annoyance when confronted with delay
Steady
Is quiet, steady, persevering and even-tempered
“Patience is not the ability to wait, but the ability to keep a good attitude while waiting.”
– Joyce Meyer
Unskilled Characteristics
Irritable
Is easily irritated or annoyed
Angry
Frequently uses words, actions or facial expressions that demonstrate anger or frustration
Resentful
Demonstrates strong displeasure at things one considers to be unjust, offensive, or insulting
“Have patience with all things, but first of all with yourself.”
– Saint Francis de Sales
Causes of Weakness
Experiences
Unresolved experiences in life that cause a person to quickly react negatively in similar future situations
Misconceptions
Misconceptions about the nature and character of oneself, life, others or God
Fear
A constant fear and sense of insecurity
Protection
A flawed strategy to protect oneself from annoyance or perceived harm
Mask
A response that comes from an unwillingness to express one’s true thoughts and feelings
“Patience with others is Love,
Patience with self is Hope,
Patience with God is Faith.”
– Adel Bestavros
Advice
Review the simple application steps below and choose 1 or 2 things you can do to spur yourself on to further growth.
Make a List
MAKE A LIST: List all the things that irritate you or stress you out. Understanding what makes you impatient can help in devising strategies to be more patient. How can you avoid these situations? Why do those things make you impatient? Are your reasons reasonable? How can you look at these situations from a different perspective? What can you do in those situations to remind you to respond differently?
Plan
PLAN: Plan ahead and determine how you can handle expected situations in the future that commonly cause you irritation and make you impatient.
Stop Procrastinating
STOP PROCRASTINATING: Many of us get impatient when we are stressed. Often times stress can be caused by procrastination and letting work and tasks build up over time without completing them.
Pray
PRAY: God is our strength, and we need to learn to rely on Him more. The bible says that we need to have patience. One of the fruits of the spirit is patience. Thus, we must continue to spend time with God, and be filled by Him, in order to have the strength of His patience.