J. WRITES: Right now I’m at a time in my life that requires a lot of waiting. It’s not necessarily bad waiting but it still means patience and perseverance. I always used to think I was a pretty patient person (I don’t usually lose my cool in line-ups or restaurants) but I’ve lately discovered that I am much more impatient (and selfish) than I thought. How do I become more patient? What can I do? How should I pray?
Share Your Thoughts in the Comment Section!
There are currently 7 Comment(s)
There are currently 7 Comment(s)
Have something else you’d like to discuss? Just submit your question or topic (and any elaboration you’d like to provide) using our Submit Content Page. We look forward to hearing from you.
Ask God for patience. =) He will grant your request I’m sure!
I know how you feel though…I’m patient in some areas and not so much in others. I was actually talking to a friend about this yesterday. Impatience creeps into our lives SO easily!
I’m not sure exactly what areas of your life it’s hard for you to be patient in J, but I know for me I can be especially impatient about my future in general. Right now, so much is up in the air for me!! So many unanswered questions right now!! And I wish I had all the answers!!!
One thing that helps me with patience with regard to the “big picture” of life, is to *live for today*…and *live in the moment*!! This is Biblical. The Bible talks about not boasting about tomorrow but to live for the day and moment at hand…So even when I feel the urge to dwell on the future or where I’d rather be or what I’d rather be doing, I ask God to help me be patient and just enjoy what’s at hand!
I’m not sure if this helps at all or not… =P I’m not sure if this is an area where you struggle with impatience. So this may have been completely un-beneficial! haha… But that’s the only tip I have! I hope it maybe helps a little… =)
Am I the only person tempted to change their profile picture to Yoda before answering this question? lol
Well, trust God’s timing. That’s pretty much the biggest thing. Moses and Joshua were two people in the bible who had to spend basically all of their time from teenaged and up preparing for the tasks that God planned for them.
As for every day how to deal with the frustration of waiting, do things to keep you busy. Time flies by faster when you’ve got stuff to do.
Patience is a fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22). If there is sin in our lives, it can quench the Spirit and cause His fruit to choke and wither. It is a wise idea to examine our hearts –always, unceasingly–to see if this is taking place:
“And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.
》》Ephesians 4:30-32
Sometimes God allows us to go through trials or tough times in life to cultivate patience:
“My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.” 》》James 1:2-3
Patience fills gaps in our Christian growth to help us to be perfect and complete without lacking ANYTHING! James goes on to instruct how to pray if there is lack of wisdom. Learning the ways of the Lord and walking in His paths of righteousness IS wisdom (Hosea 14:9) therefore, here is what to pray for the gaining of patience:
“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.” 》》James 1:4-6
Hope this is edifying and encouraging to help you grow in the ways of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!
Does this help? http://www.desiringgod.org/articles/do-you-hate-to-wait
We should all change our pictures to Yoda at the same time. It’d be hilariously confusing 😀
Haha! Imagine the chaos! XD
I kind of hate to say this, but it’s worth it so here we go: ask for practice. It’s one of those things (like praying for sanctification or to see/hate your sin) where it will definitely mean temptation and probably a lot of failure, but by grace you’ll grow through it. And the more you grow the better you can glorify God.
Ha ha, I’ll do it if y’all will! 😀
Pray for opportunities to be patient. While there are lots of different areas to be patient in (getting angered easily, waiting, etc.), ask God to give you times to put into practice the patience that you want. That will mean times will come unaware to you where your patience is tried, but, though you may fail once, us it as motivation to want to conquer next time. Good luck, J.!
“Yoda…Yo yo yo yo YOooda! Yo yo yo yo yodaaa…”
P.S. this is a line to a song called (you guessed it!) “Yoda” by Weird Al Yankovic. Though it’s actually a parody to some song called Lola…
“How can I practice patience?” OK, the answer’s almost here… wait for it…
pick a date and let operation synchronized yoda begin 🙂
That’s more kind of creepy…and *Weird Al* Yankovic kind of fits. 🙂
Ha ha….How about Friday? And we’ll need to decide on *one* Yoda picture, if we want to complicate *everything*. 😀
This will do… https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/f8244955aef02a37aa157091208c741fec64fd91aacc75e7d8393a33bbaa7e4a.jpg
Heheh…
If you post it/a link to it here. I”m up it 🙂
Volunteer to teach the 1st grade children’s church class. That should do it.
I’ve noticed in my own life that patience is like a muscle that needs to be stretched and exercised. I once deliberately shortened my ‘patience fuse’ (probably less-than-smart) because the kids I was responsible for were out of control by the time my patience was up. I needed to be less patient so that I would address the misbehavior before it got out of hand. The problem with that is now I’ve noticed that I’m less patient when I should have patience. So I’m having to redevelop patience. But the point is that it’s a developed habit that needs to be exercised and stretched.
But more importantly it’s a fruit of the Spirit (the fourth on the list actually). So we aknowledge that we desire to be made into the image of Christ and ask for the Spirit’s sanctifying work in our lives. It’s good to keep in mind that the purpose of patience is not solely that we become ‘better’ people or more effective in relationships. The purpose of patience (and the Spirit’s work as a whole) is that we might better glorify God, reflecting Him in our every word and action.
We’re not seriously going to do this, right?
Right???
Right what?!
Right, were not actually doing this… right? ;P
Alright alright, so my answer WAS a little sarcastic. Being a naturally impatient person, I found that it helped just to tell myself “relax” and force myself just to be quiet and sit sometimes. Later, I got used to it, to the point where now I can be patient at will! X^D It sounds funny, but it’s true. And while I’m waiting I can talk to God.
I’M not; y’all can if you want. I’ll tell on you, though. Not like most people haven’t already seen the picture of Yoda above, though… 🙂
Or, we could all change our username to Sam S. and put the picture of candy corn as our profile pic. That’d be interesting; especially if the real Sam. S decided to get on. 🙂
hmm… No I think that one is too old you need a newer version. Here try this!
Hmm… No I think that one is too old you should use a newer version. Here try this!
In my life I’m a naturally impatient when I’m waiting for something, or when something isn’t working right, but especially with my little brother. For example when I’m in the middle of my school and he jumps on me or scares me behind my back. Just every little thing he does tests my patience. But though all this God has slowly been teaching me to rely on him to give me his patience cause I know I don’t have enough strength in me to conquer my impatience. So just rely on God for your strength to stay calm when things bother you.
hope this helps
This cracks me up!!! Y’all are funny!!! 😋
James 1:2-4 says: My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
When we are impatient, that means that either we are in a tough situation or because we want something. Take me for example: sometimes I find myself edgy and very explosive either because I want something or because I am just angry at everyone. In the case of just being grumpy, Its probably the devil testing you. Just as he did Job.
We must submit to the Lord and give up to him whatever is causing discontentment. Ask God to help you endure, and let patience have her perfect work that you may come forth as gold. Peter 1:7 says: That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ. In enduring through patience, we also are perfecting the trial of our faith. Hop this helped!
It’s always a matter of perspective.
God’s strength is made perfect in your weaknesses.
HOWEVER, when you pray to God to help you develop patience (read this carefully before proceeding!!)…
… He will be giving you MORE IRRITATING SITUATIONS so you can exercise your “patience muscle”. Gold and silver needs fire to get the impurities out. Expect more of these situations to come as you are being molded into Christ-likeness. Make sure to view them as how God sees them.
It’s always a matter of perspective.
P.S. That’s how God is dealing with my ego and impatience recently. Got to love more of His sense of humor haha
best answer hands down >.<
/(^_^)
lol. little humor there…