Power in Patience

“A waiting person is a patient person. The word patience means the willingness to stay where we are and live the situation out to the full in the belief that something hidden there will manifest itself to us.” –Henri J.M. Nouwen.

How many times haveyou wanted something to change in your life, but only on your timing?  Think back to the years of “senioritis” when we just wanted high school to be OVER so we could move on to the college life.  How about HGTV’s House Hunters television show? “If only this house were  built in the 2000s, have black granite counter tops and have a backyard pool (w/ a slide) then I would buy it.” The truth is we all struggle with this concept of waiting for things to happen as they should.  Now there is a clear difference between waiting and being lazy.  Patience is not an absence of action, such as laziness, but it is recognizing and giving yourself permission to adapt to change, learn from mistakes and grow through both hallenging and exciting times in life.  It is an action that requires us to be in the present moment.

One of the most challenging times in my life was being in graduate school and assisting the golf programs while completing my master’s thesis.  If  anyone has ever completed of these or a huge project they know it can be very easy to say “I just want this completed; once it is done I will feel much better about my life.”  I said these words a few times when I was just starting the research process; however, I quickly realized I had to be patient and wait for my study to develop while making the most of my current tasks.  Being more patient allowed me to be more effective and efficient with my  deadlines and I was able to give myself the permission to be human, learn from my mistakes and make necessary changes with a better sense of purpose.

Where do you need to incorporate more patience in your life? What relationships need more presence from you?  What situations could you live out to the full versus always looking for the quick and maybe easy results?