What does it take to be patient with all?
I’ll let you in on a little secret right away. To be patient with all takes a lot more strength and wisdom than I have on my own. In fact, left to my own ideas and whims, I’m not patient with much of anyone these days. Do you find yourself in that frame of mind? If so, would it help if I told you God helps you be patient? That is…if you let Him.
Now, don’t beat yourself up if you realize you’re not always letting God help you be patient with all. You’re human, and you fail and fall. Believe me, I’m telling myself that, too, because I need to hear it as much as anybody. Here’s an example of why I say that.
My patience often goes out the window when I’m driving.
You might have heard (how could you not?) that Colorado legalized pot back in 2014. But what does that have to do with driving? A lot, actually. I drive on the roads, streets, and interstate practically every day. And something I notice every day is the scent of pot coming through the vents and windows of my pickup…as I’m driving. I’m not talking about simply walking the neighborhoods…although you almost can’t walk a neighborhood without smelling pot, too.
No, I’m talking about drivers smoking pot. Elgielene and I notice people of all ages with a joint in their hand or puffing on one as they roll down the road. Besides not being legal, it’s dangerous. If you’re a dope smoker, here’s a statistic I’m sure you won’t care about but is nevertheless true. When you’re smoking weed, your reaction time is significantly slower. Sorry to be such a killjoy, but facts are facts.
It’s difficult to be patient with all when so many are baked on weed.
In fact, I can’t be that patient without God’s help. I have to deal with what I call “drifters” as I make my way across town. I’m talking about drivers who can’t seem to be deliberate in their actions. They drift into different lanes. Or they seem to have to make up their mind about turning…and then drift around the corner. And if I added up all the time I’ve waited on those drivers to respond to the changing lights, I could possibly add a few days to my life. See what I mean about me lacking patience? And see what I mean about needing God’s help?
OK, I know there are lots of reasons people resort to smoking pot. They use excuses like pain, depression, or physical “conditions”. And they’ll say a guy like me, who never smoked pot, will never understand. On some level, I suppose that’s correct. But I DO know that inhaling smoke of any kind is not a better answer than real foods, fresh air, sunshine, and plenty of filtered water.
I just shared a patience flaw in my character.
How about you? Are you able to be patient with all? If not, where is your achilles heel? And are you looking to God for help? Leave me a comment or send me a message about it.
“Be patient. Be wary. Sing songs and be merry.
Then focus your attention on more than this world’s dimension”
(excerpt from the lyrics to my song, “Worldliness”)
Now, maybe you don’t know me well enough to buy something from me, yet. Ok, let’s change that. Get to know more about me and my worldview. Join the growing body of believers who’ve signed up for the FunderFlash Journal. And bask in daily, delightful flashes of light from the power of God’s love.
Stay tuned…
