How to Develop Patience (Part Two)

A patient man has great understanding, but a quick-tempered man displays folly. Proverbs 14:29

Patience begins by changing the way you view something. When you’re impatient, you have a narrow perspective. All you see is yourself: your needs, goals, schedule, desires, and the way people are messing up your life. Basically, the root of impatience is selfishness. Try to see things from the other person’s point of view. If you want to succeed in marriage, learn to see life from your partner’s point of view. If you want to succeed as a parent, learn to see things from your child’s point of view. If you want to succeed in business, learn to see things from your customer’s point of view. If you want to be a successful employer, learn to see life from your employee’s point of view. Try to discover why the other person feels as they do.

If you never had to deal with irritations and interruptions, you would never develop patience. You must accept the truth that God is directing your steps, and that trust doesn’t require explanations. The Bible says, ‘The LORD directs our steps, so why try to understand everything along the way?’ (Proverbs 20:24). Patience is a mark of maturity. When babies don’t instantly get what they want, they get upset. Maturity includes the ability to wait, to live with delayed gratification. ‘Whoever is patient has great understanding, but one who is quick-tempered displays folly’ (Proverbs 14:29). A person of understanding and wisdom who learns to see life from another’s (and God’s) point of view, is able to be patient. So, pray and ask God to give you a new perspective on things.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, instead of thinking about me and what I want, help me see things from others’ points of view and understand them. In Jesus’ Name, Amen