Are you blessed with endless demands and too little time? How about a short fuse? If so, patience is the cure.

Patience is a virtue.

But how do we get some?

Prayer, confidence in God, and plenty of practice dealing with life’s crazies is the way to go. Growth in virtue demands increased trials. Practice makes perfect. Patience will eventually sprout, right? Sounds good on paper, but my breaking point hovers just below the surface more often than I’d like. (That’s pride talking.)

Yet frustration leads to outreach. And while life’s struggles try us, sharing them in all patience strengthens the bond we have with our fellow man. Being honest, vulnerable, and admitting the truth about being just as flawed as the next guy is one way to get the help we need while keeping us humble.

Check out this treasure from my library:

“Have patience with all things, but chiefly have patience with yourself. Do not lose courage in considering your own imperfections, but instantly set about remedying them—every day begin the task anew.”

― Francis de Sales

According to the Bible, patience is a virtuous quality that comes with some seriously sweet rewards. It tells us to hang tight with a calm and peaceful heart, knowing that everything will fall into place at the right time. As the Psalmist wisely puts it, “Relax in the Lord and wait patiently for Him” (Psalm 37:7). Basically, it’s all about trusting a higher power and having faith that our wishes will be granted when the moment is just right.

My family has just been blessed with an answer to prayer. Think, “Yeah, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,” and you’ll get the idea of the past three years. Fear, flagging faith, human instincts, & a host of other temptations are thrown by the devil to derail the patient, fully engaged trust God desires. And for our own benefit…I haven’t been this happy in far too long. Thank the good Lord!

The Bible serves up a host of stories about those who chose the patience game in the face of tough times.

The Book of Job in the Bible is a powerful account of a man named Job who faced tremendous trials and tribulations. It portrays his unwavering faith in the face of immense suffering. One verse that describes Job’s hardships can be found in Job 1:13-19:

“One day when Job’s sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest brother’s house, a messenger came to Job and said, ‘The oxen were plowing and the donkeys were grazing nearby, and the Sabeans attacked and made off with them. They put the servants to the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!’

While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, ‘The fire of God fell from the heavens and burned up the sheep and the servants, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!’

While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, ‘The Chaldeans formed three raiding parties and swept down on your camels and made off with them. They put the servants to the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!’

While he was still speaking, yet another messenger came and said, ‘Your sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest brother’s house, when suddenly a mighty wind swept in from the desert and struck the four corners of the house. It collapsed on them, and they are dead, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!'”

Wow! Job’s story is intense, over-the-top. His trials seem to impossible to endure. (Deliver us from temptation!) Yet, through it all, Job still blessed the Lord and waited patiently on his mercy. Job was rewarded. Yes, he likely grieved for his lost loved ones, as we must at times, too. But he never lost faith and was rewarded in kind, not only with a return of earthly goods but a deep and abiding awareness of God’s sovereign goodness.

And it’s not just the Bible that has patience on its VIP list. The Quran says, “Believers! Seek help in patience and in Prayer; Allah is with those that are patient.” (Surah Al-Baqarah 2:153). That verse is all about how patience brings us closer to the Divine and gives us the strength we need when life gets bumpy.

“Patience is like the ultimate form of self-control,” according to the Buddhist Dhammapada 184). It’s like a spiritual superpower that helps us grow and find freedom from suffering. By nurturing patience, we can rise above our desires and find that inner peace we’re all searching for.

Confucius, that wise old Chinese philosopher, tells us, “Slow and steady wins the race. It doesn’t matter how slowly you go, as long as you don’t stop.” Basically, progress may be turtle-paced, but as long as we keep pushing and stay patient, we’ll reach our goals eventually. (So, stop rushing if you’re able. You’ll feel better.)

Let’s face it, in a world that’s obsessed with quick fixes and instant gratification, developing patience can feel like wild hare herding. We’re constantly bombarded with messages telling us to hurry up and get everything right now. But amidst all the noise, let’s not forget the timeless wisdom of the Bible and other religious scriptures. Patience isn’t a sign of weakness, my friends. This quintessential virtue empowers us to endure, grow, and find contentment in the present moment.

So, take a deep breath and make patience your new BFF. Trust that everything will fall into place when the time is right, because it will!