Not Alone Series: Patience

(when you find yourself becoming really impatient, or struggling with your life to "really" begin, how do you combat it? Do you do anything? How can we support one another in this area?)

I am not patient in the least, let's just get that out of the way. As a kid I read the last chapter of the book first. I like to know where I'm going and what steps I can cut out to get there faster. Unfortunately I have no sense of direction and I have friends who are chronically late so I find myself waiting a lot. God definitely has a sense of humour.

One of my favourite verses is Jer 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you says the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, to give you a future with hope." This verse is both comforting and frustrating. I often find myself praying this verse asking God what is this plan and when does it start. I know where I want to go but I don't know the steps, God has the map and I don't know what I can cut out to get to my destination faster.

I've heard a story a few times of a child who saw a butterfly struggling to emerge from it's cocoon and decided to help. However because the butterfly wasn't allowed to struggle and go through every step, it was too weak, he wasn't fully formed. He couldn't fly.

"In God alone be at rest my soul." Ps 62:5. Trusting God, really trusting Him and being at peace with His plan. This is not easy, that is why I try to stay close to Him. Pray always even when it's hard, especially when it's hard. Adoration, sometimes it's enough just to be in His presence other times I have much more to say. His Word, my bible and I are not the best of bosom buddies at times but I know I can always find just the right verse, passage or even chapter when I need it.

Strong, faithful friends who will tell you the hard truths, stand by you, support and encourage you, let you cry pray for you and with, be there for you, in real life or online. Sometimes I don't even really need to bring up that I am feeling impatient or frustrated, a relevant conversation may just come up and the discussion may be just what I needed. I also need to work on being that kind of friend to others so that I can encourage and support them also.

Patience is a virtue and virtue is a grace. Even when I am sick of waiting, impatient with being patient I can see the graces that have gotten me to where I am now (stronger in my Faith, a better friend and person, more mature) and hopefully those graces will help me get to where I am going.

Be sure to check out what everyone else thinks in the link up on Morgan's blog.