#4 Patience

Growing into maturity requires something more than just acceptance. It requires patience. Patience is similar to acceptance in some ways, and almost contradictory in others. But overall, it’s vital to have it in order to propel yourself forward in your life of growth.

So what is patience, anyway? To put it simply, patience is the power to wait. It’s waiting a long time for something you want without falling into the idea that it isn’t coming. If hopes and dreams are like a raging bonfire, patience is the fireplace. It holds onto those desires when they start to slip away, and keeps you on track when you get upset that you don’t have what you want yet.

And while it may sound like I’m just talking about outside stuff like your job or your relationship status, it also applies to yourself as well. When you enter new territory in life, you may get upset with yourself. You may say something like “gosh darn it, why am I such a weenie?” Then later this will build into “dang, I’ve been at this for how long now, and I’m still a weenie? When do I get to be a big cheese?” 

The desire to become less of a weenie is a goal, an aspiration, a dream of sorts. It’s somewhere you want to be, somewhere you are trying to get to. And guess what? It will probably take you some time to get there. I say this not to discourage you, but to remind you that patience will need to be in your toolbox if you want to reach the mountain’s peak. A mature self will take time, showing up daily to the grindstone to slowly get better and better at this game we call life.

But patience and acceptance go hand in hand in this way. I think it’s entirely possible to accept where you are while also striving for more. You’ll know you’ve found your balance between the two when you’re excited about the road ahead. When that road feels like a mountain, perhaps even a raging waterfall, to climb. But you’ll know deep down that although the road seems daunting, the destination is worth it. You’ll know that peace and harmony are yours to claim at the end of that road. Not because life will be a perfect land of rainbows and butterflies, but because you have the purpose to overcome the hardship. That you are ultimately in the place you were meant to be. And if you can continue to suffer for it, that dream will grow itself deep into your soul, eventually becoming a major part of the life you live.

But how do we actually get there? How does one genuinely grow in patience? I think this is a delicate art. The first step is to trust the path that you are on. If you are still in the fight in some way, growing towards your goal in any shape or form, you are in the process and that’s good enough. If you hit that spot where you want your goal quicker, or fail to believe that you will reach your goal, then it’s time to take a deep breath and put some faith in the journey. It may seem crazy, or even delusional at times, but marching in the right direction will always lead to victory. The only one who loses is the one who quits. Think of this like dousing the fire that gets too big. 

The other aspect is to rouse the fire that gets too small. When your will to carry on grows faint, you need to be able to remind yourself why you dreamt the dream in the first place. Take note of the moments that once defined your drive. Keep them in a safe for those rainy days when all seems bleak. Maybe look at the time between this day and that dream to see the progress you have made. Celebrate that progress and see how far you have traveled. In this way you can rouse your flame and carry on to the finish line.

Rousing and dousing. These are the tools of patience. Though you should never beat yourself up for where you’re at, it’s good to dream of where you want to be next. It’s when your dreams become obsessions that life makes a mess of itself. 

I pray this made some sense for you. Though life will never be easy, I pray God teaches you the art of patience. Just ask Him for guidance. And, above all, I pray you never ever ever call yourself a weenie.

Until next time

May Peace be your Guide.