Patience as a Virtue ....

From the time I was a little girl I was often told, “Patience is a virtue,” but I assumed although that may very well be true for some it was a virtue that I, myself, did not possess. After all no one is completely virtuous. So instead I chose to be impatient, living each day as if were running out of time. I set lofty goals and tackled people and issues head on as if I could someone will my own fate and have all of the things I wanted, but that was foolish thinking on my part …… an obvious miscalculation from a mind that lacked maturity, particularly when it came to matters of ‘faith’. To this day I can clearly remember teachers in Sunday school class preaching, “Ask and you shall receive,” but they failed to ‘qualify’ that statement, and as a result the more I asked for and failed to get, the more I began feeling as if faith had let me down, or perhaps even worse, that somehow I failed to merit God’s grace.

As a result I grew somewhat hard-hearted when it came to living a faith-based life, even treating God the same as I would anyone who resisted my constant pleas for help and understanding as if they had fallen on deaf ears. I became indifferent and determined to become even more self-reliant than I had been as a child, seeking my own solutions to problems that arose and oftentimes ending up making a mess.

I don’t really think I came to understand what it meant to have faith until I was well into my forties and took up fishing as a hobby to spend quality time with my dad. Whether a novice like me, or an experienced and crafted sportsman like my father, a fisherman can cast the line, but he can only wait for the fish to bite. The prize of the catch will come in its own time, and no amount of planning, wishing – or even prayer for that matter – will hasten the end result. It’s only through the practice of patience can one hope to bridge the gap between the capricious fish and what you can only hope will eventually become a coveted feast celebrating the bounty of your catch. Strength in a time such as this waits quietly, hoping to seize that moment when your line suddenly loses its slack and you sense the tug-of-war has begun …… that ultimate struggle between the will to survive and the need to conquer. Weakness – on the other hand – grows impatient, and abandons the effort before the fish ever bites.

I learned during these long periods of waiting, that my time was best spent in quiet contemplation ….. not just about fishing, but about life in general and as a result my earthy father inadvertently taught me a great deal about understanding my spiritual father. I also determined it was no accident that Jesus chose so many fishermen to become his disciples, as he knew they already possessed the strength of character and wisdom to endure the trails that would eventually tax them all. In addition I came to understand it was never about not being worthy, as God loves us, His creations, perfectly. But rather just as a parent is often faced with the task of saying “no” to their children, because what they want is not in line with what they need, so too does our God in His ultimate wisdom have to make the same kinds of judgment calls on our behalf, because He knows what the future holds while we do not. And therein lies ‘faith’ ….. knowing that you are exactly where you are supposed to be and that the future can be far brighter than you dare to dream.

So now I proceed with caution, but at the same time resolutely with whatever ambitions I have, believing that all things come together for the purpose of good. Almost every situation calls for consistency and patience, therefore learning to wait for something meaningful while simultaneously sustaining your belief in the process is a powerful force when it comes to achieving your goals. Developing inner strength allows you to be uncompromisingly honest with yourself about expectations while maintaining your present course. Perseverance combined with a positive attitude can diminish even the biggest obstacles. To rush anything as a means to try and force results only brings about provisional change that can just as easily be reversed. Conversely steadfast waiting while retaining your integrity has the power to lead to the kind of permanent results that will one day be well worth the wait. On this day set aside to celebrate the resurrection of our Lord and Savior, why not spend a moment reflecting on how you can best resurrect your own faith in God’s plan, knowing patience is the basic fundamental key to understanding. Happy Easter …….