Wait.

Do you despise lines? Do you hate when your browser takes more than 5 seconds to load? Do you get angry when your stomach is physically growling in hunger but your next meal isn't for another hour (or there's someone praying for 5 minutes with no sign of stopping)? HOW ABOUT WHEN YOU'RE DRIVING AND THE PEOPLE AROUND YOU ARE DRIVING LIKE THEY'RE 11 YEAR OLD BRATS WHO JUST WANT THEIR WAY OR 90 YEAR OLD CLUELESS GEEZERS!?!?!?!?!?

Today's topic is about the oh-so-neglected fruit of the Spirit, PATIENCE !! (boooooooooooooo)

Let's just dive right in.

Looking back into my life, I haven't ever been a patient person. I feel actual anger almost every time I drive my car somewhere (this one is my major downfall). I have very little empathy for people who aren't socially aware. I sometimes lash out when someone isn't understanding what I'm trying to say within my first two explanations.

Patience. IS. HARD!!!

And it's also the area of my life that the LORD has been trying so hard to improve me in. And of course I asked for it.

"God, I am impatient. Please give me patience," a naive 18 year old girl once prayed. Little did she know, that in order to gain patience you have to suffer through people and situations that move slower than you like to move.

"Love is patient," says 1 Corinthians. Ephesians 4 says to "be patient, bearing with one another in love." (Not just bearing with someone because you have to). Colossians 3 says that as God's chosen people, patience has to be something we clothe ourselves in. Patience is mentioned MANY times in the Bible...the sources I referenced above written two thousand years ago. This response to the world around us wasn't only valued back then, but is now to this day.

How DO we respond to the world? If you're anything like me, then you probably don't respond patiently most of the time. But as I've gone through the self inflicted growing pains the last 3 years, I've noticed a huge difference.

What would the world be like if every person intentionally applied THIS verse to their everyday: "Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry..." James 1:19.

That would revolutionize the world as we know it. This applies to the trickier people in our lives. THINK ABOUT how many times you already have the next thing you want to say on the tip of your tongue before the other person is even done talking. You aren't listening if you're always speaking (even just in your mind). And the slow to become angry thing... that's a whole different blog post all on it's own! This verse really does pack a punch with just 3 key points.

Now as for the lines and the internet connection and being hungry... Philippians 2:14-15 talks about how WE REPRESENT GOD with our actions and responses. "Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world..." Our impatience by grumbling isn't going to shine a light among the issues that are already going on in the world. It becomes all the more real and difficult when we are waiting for something in our lives to happen. On a deeper level than loading screens or lines. My age group is like the waiting, incubation period. It's a weird limbo of confusion. It's a clueless wandering. It's almost the calm before the storm but also a storm at the same time. Careers? Marriage? Life experience? So many questions. These times in life where you just have no idea what's going on is really a time when you have to let go and let God. Try things out, dip your toes in. Focus on the passions but also figure out the passions. The thing I have a hard time with, though, is not grumbling through the process. The Philippians 2 response. It's so hard. When you're waiting and maybe you can even see a glimpse of your future on the horizon but it's going to take a long time to get there--patience. Wait.

There is story after story of people who wanted to respond negatively to an inconvenience but instead responded patiently, and after the positive response the people realize how much of a horrible impact it would have made if they had chosen the other option.

There's a story of a cab driver who had one customer left in his shift. He pulled up and honked, waited, honked..no response. He was going to drive away. Instead he went to the door and knocked to discover a frail old lady trying to carry a bag. He helped her with the bag to the car, and she told him she was going to Hospice. She had no family left and she didn't have much time herself. He drove her around town and she showed him significant places from her life. He didn't charge her for the ride and hugged her after he dropped her off. He realized the horrible impact it would have had on the old woman if he hadn't chosen patience in that moment, or even if she had gotten another cab driver that might have treated her poorly.

Another story comes from Bob Goff (EVERYONE, READ THE BOOK "Everybody Always"!!! SO GOOD). He was in a line of cars waiting to interact with an employee in order to pass through and keep driving. His guy happened to be particularly slow. Bob was at the end of his rope, about to explode. Impatience was bubbling. But in that moment he decided to "fill his bucket" with patience. When he finally approached the man he spoke to him kindly, and it's a good thing he did. The employee recognized Bob and knew he was a man of God and his pastoral position. If he hadn't have responded patiently, imagine the tarnished view of Bob he would have walked away with; even a new (bad) perception of Christians and maybe God.

I have met maybe two consistently patient people in my life. It's something that so many people from every walk of life struggles with. I am not even close to being a patient person even though God is constantly challenging me with new situations or people to be patient with. (More on that another time!!!)

But I wrote this today to encourage everyone, that while it is SO HARD to practice patience, it positively impacts everyone involved. There is no way you can go wrong with being patient. It may take some extra self control (yet another tough fruit of the Spirit), and it may feel like it's eating you alive to be patient.

But do you want a positive ripple effect or a negative one?