Do you find yourself becoming impatient with the ebbs and flows of everyday life?

Does it frustrate you when you are waiting to order food in a drive through line and the car in front of you takes a long time placing an order? Do you find yourself asking why there are so many movie previews in a movie theatre prior to the movie that you came to see begins? Are you aggravated by how long it takes a slow train to cross the tracks before your car moves down the road? Does it exasperate you when you sit in a restaurant that everyone seems to have the order taken except you even though you arrived before others? Does traffic gridlock on an expressway seem to be never ending at times? 

Do you get aggravated when you have to explain your thoughts time and again on the same issue to someone who does not seem to be listening to you?

The definition of patience is the capacity to accept or tolerate delay, trouble, or suffering without getting angry or upset.

I do not know about you but I struggle at times with having patience.

As I thought about it though, I was left with a sense of wonder and awe at how patient our loving Jesus is with each of us. Despite dying on the cross to show His love for us and to save us, it seems at times we can be impatient with God in seeking answers to our prayerful intentions and in surrendering to God’s will despite what we may want. Yet there is Jesus always gently waiting for us to embrace His way and to remember that way is the only way and the goal of our life journey.

The next time we become impatient, let’s offer that suffering to Jesus in thanksgiving for all He has done and continues to do for us, and then let’s thank Jesus for His patience with us.

-By Deacon Tom Gryzbek