Dear God,

   I am so glad You are patient, and right now I wish I were too. This problem has deeply affected my family--the very people I ought to have the most patience with. When some-thing doesn't go smoothly with them. I become entirely too short-tempered and short sighted. I've also become irritable with coworkers who can't seem to accomplish their tasks quickly enough or flawlessly enough to please me. I care about these people, but You wouldn't know it by the way I've been behaving toward them. If that's not bad enough. I actually became upset with a fax machine recently because I thought it should work faster.
   But the worst part of all is that I have grown impatient with You. I'm ashamed to say it, but it's true. There are certain elements of my life and myself I want big changes in. I have prayed hard about them, but everything remains the same. I want my life to change yesterday rather than tomorrow, and I want my troubles to go away immediately and to take my weaknesses with them.
   Now, I'm simply praying for patience, and not just normal everyday patience, But the heavenly kind--the kind that says I love my family, friends, and coworkers, the kind that allows myself to make mistakes and the time to transform character flaws. I especially desire the kind that waits on You with total trust and confidence. In other words. I want a patience like Yours.

Your Impatient Child

 

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Dearest Impatient Child,

    You have been thinking about your trials and tensions all wrong. You should regard these many trials with unadulterated joy, because you know that it is these very troubles that will result in you gaining the patience you desire. Then this patience will produce the character you hope to have, and in turn, that character produces more hope. A hope that never disappoints, because I have poured out My love so much that it fills your very heart. Consider the example of the farmer who waits patiently on the land until it gives him a crop; note how patient he is in waiting for the rain to come.
   As you are waiting, you should always pray and not give up. Then you will call out for Me and come and pray to Me, and you can be sure that I will listen, Call on Me when you are in trouble: I will rescue you, and then you will bring Me honor. Do not become discouraged in doing good things, for you can be sure that they will produce fruit at just the right time. Grasp hold of the patience that you talk about and never let go, knowing I have promised and I am faithful.

Your Patient Father