Patience is one of those things I really don't have a good grasp on. My impatience often leads me down a down hill road headed straight for Temper Tantrum Tunnel and that's a place where I have complete tunnel vision focused on what is agitating me and on nothing else. It is there that my anger gets the best of me. I've been working hard on not taking that road and it seems in my normal day to day life I still take the wrong road more than I should. I often feel more defeated the more I try!
But lately there have been some circumstances out of my normal day to day activities. Circumstances and situations that normally would get the best of me. But they didn't! I was able to stay composed, patient, and calm! It completely surprised me! In my prayer time God showed me that it was the very things that were so difficult for me to handle where I felt I was losing the battle where my patience actually grew! It was in the times that I tried, and tried, and tried to not lose my temper where all I was doing was prolonging the inevitable tantrum, that my patience made the most strides! It was not in my two recent victories where I gained patience! It was in those moments when I strained to tame my tongue, when my blood pressure was rising, when I refrained from having to be right, when I tried so hard to not give in but in the end lost. . . that's where patience was gained. Moving that patience marker back a little further each time has let me gain some easier victories (Thanks be to God) but ones I never won in the past!
There were times when I felt my impatience and anger for a particular person was justified because I was right and she clearly was in the wrong. Circumstances with her that very few people could be calm through but I pressed on when others walked away. 1 Thessalonians 5:14 says "Be patient with everyone". It doesn't say "be patient with everyone except those that really get under your skin". I knew what God was asking me to do but I did not know at the time that it would have such a profound impact on how I handle so many other issues in my life.
Moving the patience marker back is tough! Gaining patience is like moving a huge boulder up a hill. It's hard to do and can't be done alone. If you try on your own, you will give up because it can't be done. But with The One's(God)help, the push is still extremely difficult, you want to quit but God won't let you, you feel defeated but you aren't, and through all that is so hard for you to do, you gain ground ever so slowly.
Today after much pushing, my patience marker is set back just ever so slightly. Looking at where that marker needs to be and where it is doesn't look all that encouraging! But just having moved that marker a foot back from where it was and seeing some changes made in this area is very encouraging!
If you struggle with your patience and you really want to change this just be prepared for many opportunties that will try your patience and will challenge you to push your patience marker back. And don't forget, you can't do it without God! It's a tough fight but one that you can gain ground on! And don't forget when you do win battles give God the victories!
But lately there have been some circumstances out of my normal day to day activities. Circumstances and situations that normally would get the best of me. But they didn't! I was able to stay composed, patient, and calm! It completely surprised me! In my prayer time God showed me that it was the very things that were so difficult for me to handle where I felt I was losing the battle where my patience actually grew! It was in the times that I tried, and tried, and tried to not lose my temper where all I was doing was prolonging the inevitable tantrum, that my patience made the most strides! It was not in my two recent victories where I gained patience! It was in those moments when I strained to tame my tongue, when my blood pressure was rising, when I refrained from having to be right, when I tried so hard to not give in but in the end lost. . . that's where patience was gained. Moving that patience marker back a little further each time has let me gain some easier victories (Thanks be to God) but ones I never won in the past!
There were times when I felt my impatience and anger for a particular person was justified because I was right and she clearly was in the wrong. Circumstances with her that very few people could be calm through but I pressed on when others walked away. 1 Thessalonians 5:14 says "Be patient with everyone". It doesn't say "be patient with everyone except those that really get under your skin". I knew what God was asking me to do but I did not know at the time that it would have such a profound impact on how I handle so many other issues in my life.
Moving the patience marker back is tough! Gaining patience is like moving a huge boulder up a hill. It's hard to do and can't be done alone. If you try on your own, you will give up because it can't be done. But with The One's(God)help, the push is still extremely difficult, you want to quit but God won't let you, you feel defeated but you aren't, and through all that is so hard for you to do, you gain ground ever so slowly.
Today after much pushing, my patience marker is set back just ever so slightly. Looking at where that marker needs to be and where it is doesn't look all that encouraging! But just having moved that marker a foot back from where it was and seeing some changes made in this area is very encouraging!
If you struggle with your patience and you really want to change this just be prepared for many opportunties that will try your patience and will challenge you to push your patience marker back. And don't forget, you can't do it without God! It's a tough fight but one that you can gain ground on! And don't forget when you do win battles give God the victories!
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