The Gift of Patience: Waiting with Faith

By: Madi Dunning

"9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers."(Galatians 6:9-10)

We are to preserve in a journey of goodness, and this will lead us to God’s heavenly kingdom.

Patience to me was always a boring wait. It was standing in line for a roller coaster or checking to see if a grade had been updated; times of waiting that weren’t necessarily difficult but more anxious or exciting. Nothing challenging and nothing fun. I knew patience could be waiting for Christmas to come or for Jesus to rise again, but I never thought about it in terms of my faith journey. I just thought patience meant a person’s ability to “wait”, and I was never really excited about waiting. 

However, my mindset on patience began to shift when I stuck it next to another word: perseverance. “Persistence in doing something despite difficulty or delay in achieving success.” Motivation is something I’ve personally struggled with in school and in faith by procrastinating projects or putting off prayers, and this lack of motivation often kills my persevering spirit to keep going. 

It’s hard for me to step up to the bat despite "difficulty or delay”. I think part of this is my past mindset in faith to “Go big or go home.” While constant prayer and daily mass are amazing, these things are not always achievable. Combined with personal struggles and guilt, I find myself turning away from God instead of running to Him in times when I can’t “go big” and feel like I fall short in spirituality. I need things to be done, changed, or fixed now, and when they aren’t, it’s hard for me to show up, trust the Lord, and keep going in times of vulnerability. 

However, the Lord gives us this amazing gift of patience, and that’s exactly what we’re called to do. Here’s how it ties in: “Let us not become weary”. Persist and be patient while doing so. Easier said than done, but showing up to praise the Lord even in difficult times isn’t just good for the soul, it's our ticket to heaven. And patience doesn’t just mean “waiting it out”. We are not called to sit around and simply not sin, we are called to stand up and do good! 

How can we do this in our daily lives? How can we persevere with patience in His journey? How can we stand up and do good? Building our relationship with God through prayer and through others. Prayer is so vital because all relationships require communication, and ours with God is no different. Having a rigid prayer schedule is difficult for me, so I try to communicate through praise and worship and conversation with Jesus. You can practice patience in an easy, valuable way by communicating with God and then listening to what He has to say. Searching for his message can be difficult, but we should be patient in trusting that He will provide. It’s important for us to see God in others, too! Spiritual friendships can help along the journey. Be patient and open to seeing God in everyone, and you will be blessed with exactly who God meant you to be with.

Keep persevering. If you’re struggling and need some advice, I’m always willing to listen to anyone… and so is God! Be patient in your faith, because He changes lives and moves mountains. What does that look like for you? Embark on His journey and you will see!