The ART of Patience....My God How Great Thou ART!

 “Learn the art of patience. Apply discipline to your thoughts when they become anxious over the outcome of a goal. Impatience breeds anxiety, fear, discouragement and failure. Patience creates confidence, decisiveness, and a rational outlook, which eventually leads to success.” ~ Brian Adams

patience

ˈpeɪʃ(ə)ns/

noun

1. 1.

   the capacity to accept or tolerate delay, problems, or suffering without becoming annoyed or anxious.

   "you can find bargains if you have the patience to sift through the rubbish"

   synonyms:

   forbearance, tolerance, restraint, self-restraint, resignation, stoicism, fortitude, sufferance, endurance; More
2. 2.

   BRITISH

   any of various forms of card game for one player, the object of which is to use up all one's cards by forming particular arrangements and sequences.

As virtues go, patience is a quiet one.

It’s often exhibited behind closed doors, not on a public stage: A father telling a third bedtime story to his son, a dancer waiting for her injury to heal. In public, it’s the impatient ones who grab all our attention: drivers honking in traffic, grumbling customers in slow-moving lines. We have epic movies exalting the virtues of courage and compassion, but a movie about patience might be a bit of a snoozer.  (https://www.mindful.org/the-benefits-of-being-a-patient-person/)

Having patience means being able to wait calmly in the face of frustration or adversity, so anywhere there is frustration or adversity—i.e., nearly everywhere—we have the opportunity to practice it.

1 Samuel 13:8 - 14

8 He waited seven days, the time set by Samuel; but Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and Saul’s men began to scatter. 

9 So he said, “Bring me the burnt offering and the fellowship offerings.” And Saul offered up the burnt offering. 

10 Just as he finished making the offering, Samuel arrived, and Saul went out to greet him. 

11 “What have you done?” asked Samuel. Saul replied, “When I saw that the men were scattering, and that you did not come at the set time, and that the Philistines were assembling at Mikmash, 

12 I thought, ‘Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the LORD’s favor.’ So I felt compelled to offer the burnt offering.” 

13 “You have done a foolish thing,” Samuel said. “You have not kept the command the LORD your God gave you; if you had, he would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time. 

14But now your kingdom will not endure; the LORD has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him ruler of his people, because you have not kept the LORD’s command.”

Patience. Hold to Love and Hold to Justice. Do not give in to frustration, wait, be patient, all will be well, Yahweh (I Am that I Am) rest in peace, do not forget the armor of God, walk the talk, (tolerance acceptance, love and kindness) love thy neighbor and know we are loved. 

Luke 15 11:24

The Parable of the Lost Son

11 Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. 

12 The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them. 

13 “Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. 

14 After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. 

15 So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. 

16 He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything. 

17 “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! 

18 I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 

19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ 

20 So he got up and went to his father. “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. 

21 “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ 

22 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 

23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. 

24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.

Patience of a waiting father and patience for the right moment to make the right offering. 

As a little girl, my parents invited my friends for a party. Well I was so excited, I ran next door to fetch my best friend, she had just arrived home with her father and she was in a thunderous mood, this is never forgot, excitedly I babble about my birthday and she takes an open packet of hoops and tosses them at me, saying here's your gift, who cares about your birthday. I was devastated. Broken up inside, so deflated, I looked at the rings and truly didn't want them. I wanted my friend at my house having fun with me. Had I been patient and given her time, I would have a different memory today. 

So my lesson for today is patience!