PATIENCE
BY: ROBYN WHITAKER
“Robyn! Just wait, patience girl!” I often heard that as a child. Patience seemed like
defeat to my young heart. It meant I was missing out on something I desired at that very
discomfort to hold. No wonder it takes a
lifetime to mature.
moment. And well, that was just so unfair. Patience was a challenge.
As you may know, patience is often
Every day we are faced with a myriad of choices to offer and mature our patience. We
defined as “waiting without complaining”.
face irritation, boredom, or we may suffer physically or emotionally. In these examples we
Yet,
experience different levels of discomfort. It can be a real challenge to “endure without
involve complaint.
patiently
enduring
may
actually
complaint”. People are naturally egocentric and our stressful lives make us believe that
over things that are merely annoying or
everything has to happen right now. It is all too easy to complain. Who doesn’t like
against our personal selfish wishes is petty. I
comfort?
mean complaints to a sovereign God who
Grumbling to others
is therefore in control of our every physical
I suppose you could wake up one morning and determine to be patient. Pull up your
and psychological concern. T