3 Ways to be More Patient

I watched him from afar. Once. Twice. Three times. He cast the line and waited. As still as a statue, eyes fixed on a tiny yellow thing bobbing on top of the water. I know his heart raced inside. Yet he stood quiet, calm, still.

His presence amazed me. How could a 6-year old exercise such self-control? Such patience? I’m not so sure I even have that much to offer.

I read in my Bible that patience is a fruit of the Spirit. That patience should bloom from within me as I walk daily with Jesus. Oh how fragrant that flower smells … so long as I produce it.

The problem is, people just won’t do what I want them to do sometimes. And when people squeeze me, patience doesn’t always pour forth. The winds of injustice or disrespect level the fragile bulb of my patience, and no one comes out a winner.

But, I’m realizing, as with most good things – to be patient, you have to practice patience – which means you’re likely to run head-on into situations that try your patience. And, if that’s the case, shouldn’t we have a plan?

When my husband goes into his daily football practices, they have a script. A set of things they seek to accomplish and a detailed outline of how they plan to do it. So, how about we make our own script. A plan for our next encounter with a source that attempts to trample all over our patience.

Step 1. Lock eyes.

A person’s eyes can be a window into their soul. When you look someone in the eyes with the intent to understand, God will produce a compassion and kindness you never knew you had. If you’re dealing with your children, their eyes lead to their attention. You can talk and talk and talk some more, but if you don’t have your child’s eyes, you likely don’t have their ears either.

Step 2. Lower your voice.

As one voice raises, so does another. And as voices raise, tempers flare. Defenses kick-in. Solutions scurry far from screaming. But as you practice the discipline of lowering your voice when you want to raise it, you audibly remind yourself to fight for a patient spirit.

Step 3. Loosen your grip.

I find my instincts often drift towards forcing my way. I clench my fist around my plan and remove any chance of changing the other person’s mind, or allowing God to change my mind. In these patience-practice moments, ask yourself, am I holding on to something that isn’t that important? Can I let it go?

Bed time at my house presents many patience-practice moments. The truth is I’d often like to scream, “STAY IN BED!!!!!!”

But, recently I chose to apply these strategies at bedtime. As I escorted my sons back to their beds for the second or third time, I stooped down to make sure our eyes met. In a low voice I reminded them what I wanted them to do, and as I left their room I reminded myself, even if it takes an hour, we’re okay. Stay patient.

I’m happy to say, it didn’t take an hour, and though one son did get out of bed again, we made through the night without a shout.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” Galatians 5:22-23 (NASB)

Like my little fisherman, we must cast our line of patience daily and when our heart-rates start to rise, choose to stand quietly or remain calm and determine we will not be moved.

Do you have any patience-practice strategies? Leave a comment and tell us about them!