Patience

One of the most troubling problems that I face in my daily life is that I do not have one shred of patience. I have always admired those among us who can patiently deal with people and problems. I think at warp speed and when I try to explain something to someone, particularly someone who thinks the least bit slow, and they do not instantly understand what I am trying to convey to them, I get exasperated to no end. My children experienced this whenever I tried to teach them to do most anything. I never will forget trying to teach one of them to paddle a fishing boat. He kept paddling the wrong way on the wrong side and the boat ended up going in circles, I thought I would pop a vein in my brain before that was over with. The same held true trying to teach them to drive. I had to go inside the house and leave the driving lessons to my wife because I was so frustrated watching them attempt to drive a stick-shift vehicle. The truck bucked and lurched all of the way up the driveway. Teaching them to play ball was no different; I still do not see how I, (or them), lived through that experience.
Animals try my patience to no end. I hate horses and they hate me.
Training my dog was a prime example of how not to be patient. I am the same way with inanimate objects. If my fishing line gets tangled, if my computer acts stupid, if my car will not start, anything that doesn’t do what it is supposed to do drives me up the wall.

I often wonder why I do not have patience. I have worked hard to try and develop it. If you have patience, I admire you. I decided to study the Bible and try to come up with a plan to develop more patience. When I tried to find a passage dealing with it, I became very frustrated and impatient because I could not find it fast enough. This is getting serious! I think that the answer lies in S-L-O-W-I-N-G down. Thank goodness God is patient. I pray that the Lord will help me with this problem and S-L-O-W me down some!

___________________

Romans 15:5
Now may the God of patience
and comfort grant you to be like-
minded toward one another, according
to Christ Jesus.