I am embarrassed to admit that I am an impatient person. I was thinking about that character flaw this last week as I was driving here and there. When doing so, I often become impatient when the car in front of me is in the passing lane and going slow, especially when traveling quite a bit under the speed limit. For example, traveling 30mph in the passing lane on US 30 where the speed limit is 45mph or more. I say to myself, "why? Oh Come on!" as I need to get somewhere on time and did not calculate slow traffic with my estimated time of arrival.

Wikipedia defines patience as, “the ability to endure difficult circumstance and may involve perseverance in the face of delay.” Yep, I seem to resemble the opposite of that virtue at times.

I asked myself how I might improve in developing that virtue and two thoughts came to mind. First, I should imagine that the person who is causing me to become impatient is Jesus. If it was Jesus, I know I would show more tolerance. In fact, I would be awestruck and happy to be going slower so I could spend more time with God.

Second, I always remember that Jesus is patient with me. He does not want me to speed through life without taking time to develop my relationship with Him. If Jesus is slowing me down to develop that relationship, couldn't I use the times that I am becoming impatient with others as a "hard stop?" I would ask myself how wonderful it is that Jesus shows patience with me and reminding me it is my time to do that for others. Pay it forward so to speak. May God gives us this grace.

The noun, Rumination, means a deep considered thought about something.

-By Deacon Tom Gryzbek