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| Excelling at Impatience |
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Patience is not a strong point of mine. Conversely, impatience is something I excel at! I hate delays. I used to have a voice on my computer, and when you hit a snag on a web page, it would say "delays, delays, nothing but delays". That is what I say all the time.
I hate waiting in line at the grocery store, the amusement park, the bank, the post office, the "fast" food lane...I hate being stuck in traffic, waiting on mail orders to arrive, waiting in a doctors office, waiting on Christmas...waiting, waiting, waiting. Doesn't it seem sometimes like our lives are made up of a whole lot of waiting? Seems as if every major event in life requires a waiting period. You have to wait nine months to have a baby (or be born), wait to go to school, wait to be old enough to drive, wait to graduate, wait to get married, wait all year for a one or two week vacation, wait to retire, wait to die, wait to get to heaven...and the cycle goes on and on...
I remember when my husband and I were first married, we bought a new couch. We had to order the color that we wanted, so it would be a couple of weeks before it came in and could be delivered. In the meantime, we sold the couch we had, and decided we could use our bean bag chairs to sit on instead of the couch. Our landlady was going to have to let the delivery men in to the apartment, since we were both at work. The day it was scheduled to arrive, they brought the couch...but it was the wrong color. The landlady sent it back. Another week later, another couch comes, but the landlady notices a big black mark across the back of it, so she sends that one back. (Remember, we are still sitting in bean bag chairs!) Finally, on the third try, we get the right color couch, with no black marks, and in perfect condition.
I grew so frustrated and impatient during that time. As I look back over my life, I realize that there were many times when I had to wait on something...like the year we ordered a new car. We ordered it because it was cheaper to do it that way, since Jim's dad worked for General Motors, but by ordering it, it takes forever to come in! I practically went insane waiting!
Waiting is also something we have to do in our spiritual lives. When we first accept Jesus as our Savior, we want to know it all right now. At least I know I did. But it takes time to grow and mature in our faith, and the more time that passes the more mature and wise we become. Waiting is also something we have to do at times with our prayers. Sometimes it seems like forever before God finally answers us.
My whole life has been one big lesson in patience. I believe it is something that God really wants me to know, and understand, and practice in every aspect of my life, and so He keeps giving me lessons on it, and apparently I haven't passed to His satisfaction yet, because He continues to challenge me in that area. Hopefully, by the time my life on this earth ends, I will be a student graduating with honors in patience. |
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| To add a comment to "Excelling at Impatience" |
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| July 06, 2008 |
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I haven't passed the patience test either and I've had lots of tests, too! Just hours ago I was once again apologizing to my husband, who said, "for what?" I guess he has gotten used to it but God keeps making me uncomfortable with it! I like your positive attitude. I'm going to agree with you: We will overcome. We will be patient! |
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| July 06, 2008 |
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Yeah...whoever coined that phrase, "Patience is a virtue" needs to be evaluated or something. LOL I have adopted a whole new outlook. Patience...it's just plain overated!" All kidding aside...I agree with you Deb. I have lost more of what I thought was a great deal of patience and most of that has left since the birth of my youngest. (me being 42 at the time) I am now about to turn 44 and in two years time...I think whatever patience I had...the store has been robbed! God is working on me. Thank goodness we are still learning and growing, because if we had it all together and right...well....I just think I would be one boring person!
Much love to you! |
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| July 06, 2008 |
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| Deb, I imagine God's gonna keep putting you into situations where patience is needed, as a way to teach you patience. God tends to prefer the classroom of life, that's where he seems to do his best teaching. Great post!! |
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| July 06, 2008 |
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| Patience? Patience??????? Oh myyyyyyyyy, that's my weak point!!!!!! |
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| July 06, 2008 |
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LOL... You remind me of a person I was praying over about a certain situation where they were having to wait. During the prayer I said something to the effect of "let patience have it's perfect work" The person started yelling and screaming at me- totally enraged! don't EVER pray that over me- do you know what happens when you pray for patience?? All HXXX breaks lose in that life.
It was crazy. Obviously this person refused to have patience in this situation. LOL |
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| July 06, 2008 |
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| hi debbie i just want u to know that u can do it because u can do all things through christ who strengthens u that is a wonderful and important verse and god always and will have a plan for our lives so learn one of the most important virtues and that is patience and love and self control and kindness and meekness and humbleness and love ur neighbore as u love yourself and also have joy and happiness from the lord our god amen and know god has lot's of mercy and grace and patience with u as well that is why he is still testing u each and everyday to see if u can learn to be more patient each and everyday and he loves u just how u are but their is always space for imporvement and to grow and just know it is a working progress to learn to be more patient everyday and god will always help u cuz he is always for eternity faithful and loyal to u and will always have a hedge of protection around u and to surround u as well he loves u very much just know that and the best thing of all is love and u know that god loved us first and gave his life for us and than we learned to love him because he made a way for us too and so we always have that oppertunity to learn to love god more and more each and everyday and his word the greatest book of all the bible is god's love letter to us and he wants us to get to know him by his word so he desires us to read his word daily and to pray to him which is so cool cuz all that is is talking to the lord jesus which we really love alot but he will always love us more than anybody in our lives could amen huh?yeah and well he desires a relationship and a personal walk with him daily and to get to know him more like i told u by reading his word which is his love letter to us and remember that always for eternity amen |
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| July 07, 2008 |
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| I know where you're coming from, Deb. For me, patience finally set in as I grew older. Everyday things became less and less important to me. My daughter says I spoil my grand child, Nick, but really, I just let him be a 4 year old and do what 4 year olds do. Now, while in line at the store (I used to hate that too, "I always get in the wrong, i.e. slower, line") I am observant of the people, I look at the magazines (I never actually buy one) and/or count my blessings. I live in the "now" more than I ever did! |
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| July 07, 2008 |
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| Ugh, I hate waiting too! You and I can be good friends and be very impatient together!! |
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| July 07, 2008 |
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Through the years my patience has worn thin but through God and his word and my constant prayer for it..I have tolerated it and through the Lord I make it! |
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| July 07, 2008 |
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Jay, all we can do is try, and when we mess up, pick ourselves up and try again. I have picked myself up so many times I am used to it!
Valarie, if we had it all together and did everything right, I don't think we would be here anymore! lol We would be in eternity. I thought my mom was bad having me at the age of 40...goodness girl, how do you do it? I am 45 and don't have any kids. I can't imagine having one at the age of 42, and having any patience left!
Mike, yes, God does seem to love the classroom of life. We learn the most from the good ol' school of hard knocks.
Cindy Lou, I am with you...patience is a very weak spot for me!
Bubbles, yeah, I can see myself refusing to have patience. I guess if we take long enough to think about a situation (which we don't because we are impatient), then we would be able to choose to be patient or refusing to.
rebekah, I am so glad that God has a whole bunch of patience with us. We'd all be in trouble if he didn't!
Ed, I have tried to use my time waiting in line to do something constructive, like people watching. But honestly, sometimes I could just scream! lol One time I got in a short line, but the person in front of me had multiple transactions (at Walmart), and it took forever. And then the clerk was a little chatterbox, and she couldn't scan groceries and talk at the same time. Oy. I felt like winter had changed to spring in the time I was in that store.
DeboraJ, it is wonderful to be impatient together, because then you don't notice how slow things move because you are too busy talking!
Cyn, when I feel my patience wearing thin, I pray. That is the only thing that gets me through!
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