Patiently Enduring

     “In this existence in time and finiteness, we constantly find the tension between what man is and what he would like to be; between that which has been realized and that which remains to be accomplished. And it is patience which endures the tensions.”                                     Romano Guardini



     How impatient we can be with both ourselves and others! We expect that we, and they, should have “arrived,” at the state of perfection to which God is calling us. We grow restless and annoyed with faults as they exhibit themselves, and wish for a magic wand to make them disappear instantly and effortlessly!


     Monsignor Guardini tells us the answer to our problem is to grow in patience – both with ourselves and others. God has a plan for each of us – to become the man or woman He has called us to be from all eternity. But the rate with which that happens is up to God, along with our own cooperation to His grace and inspiration.

     We must first begin by letting go of the idea of changing someone else. That is not within our power. It will only lead us to feelings of annoyance and frustration. Let God take care of them. We must be content instead, to patiently work on ourselves, in the ways God is calling us to change.

     When we become irritable or impatient, annoyed with someone, feeling taken for granted, falling once again into a sinful tendency, weary and just plain tired of trying, we need to run to God. We need to call upon His grace and remind ourselves of just how little we are, and how very much we need His help. We need to be patient with ourselves, as we wait in expectancy for His assistance.

     We have to grow in patience and stop beating ourselves up each time we fail to meet the unrealistic expectations we have set up. We need to learn to be gentler with ourselves, as we would with a child learning to walk. We have to take a deep breath and begin to love ourselves – warts and all!

     We have to learn to “let go" and accept, all of life that does not proceed as we would like. We have to trust in the God who loves us, as imperfect as we are, and believe in the vision He has of us.

     When we can do this with ourselves, we will begin to see that the annoyances of others don’t have quite the punch that they once did. The tension between “what is,” and “what we would like it to be,” will become lessened. We will start to feel a freedom that before was lacking.

     We will be able to accept our weaknesses as a gift from God. We will use them as a way of growing in our dependence upon God and His graces: At the same time, placing our hope in Him that we will grow in virtue.

     Growing in patience is a lifelong task. Don’t expect to become today, what is now beyond your reach. Have patience with yourself, and patience with your neighbor will soon follow.

     “Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient with it until it receives the early and the late rains” (James 5:7).