Always Be Patient
- Category: Gospel Truth
- Date 04-10-2015
- 460 views
“With a little patience, you will persuade the judge. A soft tongue can break bones” (Proverbs 25:15).
“Patience is the companion of wisdom” - St Augustine. It is the ability to accept delay without getting upset. It means waiting without complaining. Most people desire and work for success but are not willing wait for it. As a Chinese proverb states, “Man fools himself: he prays for a long life but he fears old age.”
When given options between short-term and long-term rewards, most people are inclined to choose the former. The reason is that people prefer to enjoy instant advantages and this is also because they cannot be sure of getting the same advantage at a later stage. Yet, everyone knows that greater benefits tend to accrue from long-term investments, which explains why all successful investors are able to postpone enjoyment of their resources to a future time.
The secret to the realisation of any a dream is to have time and courage to wait. A person who is patient does not easily get frustrated. Rather, he understands that an opportunity can only be delayed but it cannot be denied. It does not matter how long it may take to achieve a goal; a patient person will be able to wait without getting tired. “Those who hope in Yahweh will renew their strength. They will soar as with eagle’s wings. They will run and not grow weary; they will walk and never tire” (Isaiah 40:31).
In the parable of the sower, Jesus Christ demonstrates that, in some situations, patience is the only option we have to get results, while impatience could be deceptive. The seeds that fell on the rock germinated quickly but withered easily due to lack of moisture. Seeds that fell among the thorns grew very fast in competition for light but were easily choked by the stronger plants. On the other hand, “… some seeds fell on good soil and grew, producing fruit, a hundred times as much. The good soil, instead, are people who receive the word and keep it in a gentle and generous mind and, preserving patiently, they bear fruit” (Luke 8:5-15).
Our society manifests impatience in many ways. In a restaurant, an impatient client finds it easy to yell at the attendant other than waiting patiently to be served or walking to the next one where the services may be faster. An impatient road user will violate traffic rules by driving on the pavement, overtaking at a red spot, hooting without cause or ignoring traffic lights. In other cases, someone may become rude to other such as family members, work mates, friends and customers. An impatient worker will easily resign a job before identifying any other employment opportunities. As a popular saying teaches, ‘only a fool will break a door where someone has agreed to open it’.
Every person has needs and, the faster they are satisfied, the better. You may present your petitions to God but you do not have to put deadlines. God does not act on deadlines. Man must wait on the timing of God - for both physical and spiritual benefits. As an African proverb teaches, ‘at the bottom of patience, one finds heaven’.
When they pursue their goals and find some delays along the way, impatient people tend to be stressed and frustrated. As a result, they give up easily. As they do, they provide sufficient space for individuals who are able to be patient and, as the Moroccan proverb teaches, ‘there is no crowding at the gate of patience’. St. Peter also says, “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you…” (2 Peter 3:9).
To give up is to lose confidence in oneself and also in God. St Paul says that God does not disappoint but his awards are realized by those who are not looking for instant rewards but ones who are able to wait with hope: “So we hope for what we do not see and we will receive it through patient hope” (Romans 8:25).
A person who is sure that he has made a good decision should be confident and firm in whatever he does. Writing to the Galatians, St Paul urged them to be steadfast in everything good they did. He advised them to ignore anything that might seem to upset their determination to succeed. “Let us not become tired of doing good, for at the proper time, we shall reap our harvest, if we do not give up” (Galatians 6:9).
In the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus Christ noticed that human beings were weak and could not endure laborious moments. He understood that our nature makes it hard for us to remain firm amidst challenges. Many people easily break down when they meet obstacles when pursuing their goals, whereas patience would make it easy for them to register success. As he prayed, Jesus returned thrice where the apostles were and found them asleep each time “…because their eyes were heavy”. He told them that ‘prayer’ was the only trick they could use to remain strong, “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing but the body is weak” (Luke 22:43).
In life, success sometimes comes directly as anticipated. However, we should also be ready to wait for some time if it delays. “Be patient …. See how the sower waits for the precious fruits of the earth, looking forward patiently…. You also be patient and do not lose heart…” (James 5:7-8).
Venansio Ahabwe is a lay Christian in the Archdiocese of Mbarara.
By Venansio Ahabwe
Source: Gospel Truth, Leadership Magazine