I Can Be Patient, Can't You See How Patient I Am

5:30 am. The Sun has not even thought about rising, yet you jump out of bed and race down the stairs as fast as your little feet can carry you. You hope you can get to the living room before Mom and Dad stop you. "Not yet,"they say, "We need some coffee and tea before we begin." So, there you stand, eagerly trying to peek around the parents to see the wonder and the joy of the gifts around the Christmas tree. At the point where you are about to burst with excitement, they release you to go check out the treasures under the evergreen. But wait. You can't open your gifts all at once. There is an order to the madness. Stockings are opened first. Then, one-by-one, the gifts are opened where everyone can see and enjoy with you. Being a kid on christmas takes an incredible amount of patience. Some of us have more than others. As we get older, it seems more and more that we need to wait longer and longer for the things we are wanting. Working hard at your job for the promotion you have been waiting for, waiting for a promise from God. Anticipation of a friend's arrival from long ago. Sometimes, being patient can be really hard. I have found this to be true more and more lately as I work in retail over the holiday season. People can get real impatient when we don't have enough milk and eggs out, and, as much as I hate to admit it, my patience for people can begin to run real thin. It takes great control to not greet people with angry when I am asked for the hundredth time if I have any sugar cookies in the back. if we are not careful, the smallest things will set us off, and it takes a while to cool off. As hard as it may seem, it is in these times that we need patience the most. To keep our mouths shut and our ears open to what the people are asking.

I love this quote from the movie Evan Almighty, "When someone prays for patience, do you Think God will give them patience, or rather an opportunity to be patient. When they ask for courage, will they receive courage, or the chance to be courageous."

We pray all the time for patience and courage, and get anxious when it doesn't come right away, but does that not seem a little redundant. We pray for patience, yet when God makes us wait for us, we get even more impatient. What?!? We desire patience in our lives, yet get annoyed at someone at the drop of a hat.  Maybe, God is presenting opportunities in front of us to help build the patience over time. It will probably take some time and a lot of patient waiting, but one day, someone will get on your last nerve, and you won't blow up on them.  So be patient. Your patience you have been praying for has be given to you in small packages over a span of time that is undetermined. God will give you patience if you are willing to wait for it.

Adam Semple- a young man on a mission from God.