Cultivating Patience
Impatience and Stress
Is everything as urgent as your stress would imply?
- Carrie Latet
There is a reciprocal relationship between stress and impatience. When we are stressed, it can lead to our being more impatient—with ourselves and others. Likewise, being impatient can make us feel even more stressed, which can, in turn, drain our energy. It can be a vicious cycle.
Molly Bosscher wrote on Sunday that “patience offers us a space outside the urgent.” The space she refers to is both a gift and a fruit of the Spirit. It is a space where we can allow ourselves to slow down and take a few deep breaths, remembering to take comfort in any number of biblical passages, including Psalm 46:10: “Be still and know that I am God.”
There is an old joke about a person who prayed to God for more patience, and in reply what they received were more opportunities to practice. This simple joke reminds us that there are no shortage of opportunities in life to practice patience with ourselves, with others, and even with God and God’s timing. Having patience takes practice, and being patient with ourselves as we practice is essential.
Making It Personal: In your life, do you see a connection between stress and impatience? Does your faith help you create a space to be still and perhaps more patient? How is that?
Listen To Our Lent Podcast Episodes
We also invite you to listen to the Living Compass Spirituality and Wellness Podcast hosted by Scott Stoner. This is a year-round, weekly podcast; however, during Lent, there will be two new episodes each week to enrich your experience of our Lenten readings on Cultivating the Fruit of the Spirit.
You can listen to the podcast on our website by clicking HERE. You can also find this podcast in your favorite podcast listening app (Apple, Google, Spotify, etc.)—just search for Living Compass Spirituality and Wellness