Monday, August 5, 2013

James 5:8

James 5:8
You too be patient; strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near.

Oh patience.  The virtue I work the hardest to demonstrate, but who doesn't when they have children?  I feel like God is so patient with us.  He allows us to make our mistakes while quietly waiting in the balances.  He watches as we stray, longing and calling us to return.  I think of Mary, how patient she had to be while expecting our Lord and Savior.  I know how hard it is to wait for the birth of a new baby, I can't imagine how anxious I would be if I knew that baby was our God incarnate.  Yet Mary just waited patiently for the birth of her beautiful boy.  And as we wait for the second coming, we are called to have patience.

When I think about all the circumstances that call for patience, it seems daunting.  We need to have patience with co workers who may not be executing things the way we would or in a way that we feel is most efficient.  We need to have patience with the person in front of us in a check out line who has 15 coupons (none of which seem to want to work), is using multiple tenders, and is distracted with children.  We need to have patience with our neighbors who keep their yards differently than we do or who behave in a manner we would choose not to.  We need to have patience for the person driving in front of us who must not have seen the speed limit increase by 15 miles per hour.  I often struggle with this one!  Lol.

For those of us with children, we are constantly exercising (or at least trying to) patience.  I feel it is incredulously important for me to show patience to my children because I want them to practice patience with the people in their lives.  We need to have patience with toddler's tantrums.  We need to have patience with boundary pushing young children.  We need to have patience when children demonstrate sassy mouths and bad choices.  We need to have patience when children are distracted during a chore.  We need to have patience when potty training.  We need to have patience when hungry bellies are all grumbling at the dinner table.  We need to have patience with children who are adamant they do not need a nap when we are adamant that they do.

Every day is an exercise in patience.  Jesus suffered and died for us so that we could someday be reunited with Him in heaven.  I hope that I am old and gray, with great great grandchildren when that beautiful day comes.  In the meantime, I have to be patient.  I will do my best to improve myself in all aspects of myself.  Patience is a virtue.  I say this to my children as often as I say it to myself.  Please God help me to demonstrate this virtue today, even when I feel I cannot demonstrate it anymore.  Thank you for giving us a beautiful role model of patience in our Blessed Virgin Mary. 

How will you show your patience today?

Thanks for reading!

Busy Mommy Blogger

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