I found myself praying for patience again this week. It seems I need a lot of it, or don't have as much as I need. It occurred to me that what I'm really praying for is love. Patience comes from somewhere; Christian patience comes from love. If we love someone, we are patient with them. "Love is patient, love is kind ...". If I love someone, I am patient. So when I pray for patience, I am praying for love.
On the chance that somebody hasn't heard the usual joke about praying for patience, I'll include it here too. It pokes fun at our shallow and self-centered thoughts about building virtue: "Lord, I want patience, and I want it now!"
You are right!
ReplyDeleteI'm impatient even with those I love most.
ReplyDeleteWhich probably shows the lousy quality of my love.
One of my daily prayers repeated several times a day is "Lord, help to keep a grateful and patient heart". While I know God always listens to me, I say the prayer to remind myself as much as to ask for the gratitude and patience. bandbseminars.com
ReplyDeleteI'm impatient with those I love the most too -- but when I bring my love to the front of my mind it helps. Usually the impatience comes up when I have let something else crowd that out of first priority.
ReplyDeleteTake care & God bless
Anne / WF