We are the people who are always in a hurry!
Everything is instant: television, radio, electronics - all done within seconds. We stand in front of an elevator and keep pushing the button again and again impatiently; I am amused by a number of people in the apartment building where I live. They all do the same thing: they press the button, despite the fact that others are there and have already pushed the same button. Best said, we are all in a rush!
I could go on and on with examples of how impatient we are. For instance, in the supermarket line when a cashier takes too much time with a customer at the head of the line, we get annoyed. Or at a traffic light, how quickly we blow the horn at the car in front of us when they don’t move fast enough. Hurry! Hurry! Hurry!
The big challenge for us is to be patient.
In the bible, in the letter of James, there is a magnificent statement about being patient:
Let patience have her perfect work.”
When I first read that years and years ago, it struck me as the most powerful, wise insight. Think about it. When we are patient, we are in control. We are adjusting to the reality of human activity and emotion. God’s spirit is always at work on our behalf and when we are patient, we give this higher power the freedom to do good things on our behalf. As the scripture says, “Let patience have her perfect work.”
To live like this also contributes to good health, as where impatience is a negative force and can be physically destructive. For more than half of my life I was very impatient. It took several illnesses to help me learn the art of being patient. Not too long ago, I interviewed Michael J. Fox. As you know, he at an early age contracted Parkinson’s disease. He is a person with great depth and personal insight. I asked him at one point, “Why do you think you got sick?” Without blinking an eye he said, “Stress.” Impatience was a part of his internal illness. I said to him, “Same with me, including my Parkinson’s disease which was from a result of stressful living.”
I commend to you, my friends, a little scriptural verse. Be patient and…
Let patience have her perfect work.”
As always, great advice. Impatience seems to be a constant battle, and the key is to have a way to remember to “talk to yourself” and say “focus on some other pleasant thing”. Allen R
Hi Art,
I would love to have you put me on your blog mailing list.
Love,
Carolyn
Arthur, it has been a long time. I hope you are well. Please know that I am praying for you. ~ Joseph Armano