"Which Are You?"

By Zach Wood

Proverbs 14:29

A patient man has great understanding, but a quick tempered man displays folly.

 

 

Are you a patient person?  Do you find yourself feeling at peace around others, no matter what is going on?  When you are at work, do you take things in stride and go with the flow when tension and stress settle in around you?  Are you the type of person who is able to logically and rationally think through situations without losing your cool?  When you are at home, are you able to communicate with your spouse and kids without losing your temper when things get crazy?  If you are one of these people, consider it a huge blessing that you have been wired this way.  Many people are probably jealous and envious of that quality in you.  We all know jealousy and envy is not a good thing, but it happens to all of us because we are human beings.

 

For those of you who do not relate to the above description, you probably find yourself as a person who can become irritable quickly and lose your temper when things get crazy around you.  Do you find yourself becoming stressed and tense when your routine is broken and unexpected things come up at work or at home?  You might find yourself wishing you could be like those around you each day who are flexible with anything that comes to them. 

 

No matter how you are wired, do not come down on yourself or feel like something is wrong with you.  God has made us each different and in beautiful ways.  Yes, we all have quirks and flaws that may make us less patient than others.  What is important is to remember that God allows us to learn and grow.  We grow most importantly from His Word and how He teaches us to handle life situation.  We can also learn and glean much from others around us who have the character traits of patience and great understanding.  We can look up to those people and become enlightened by how they explain how they handle stressful situations. 

 

Life is life.  Unexpected things are going to come up and stressful situations are going to occur.  There is no way of getting around this inevitable fact.  However, we are given the choice whether to take things in stride and be flexible with what life throws at us or lose our temper when things do not go our way. 

 

If you are a patient person, take the time to counsel and encourage those around you who may not have this quality.  If you are an impatient person, make it a point to surround yourself often with people who are patient and can teach you how to deal with situations in a way that will help you to become better.  Patience is a character trait I really wish I had.  My wife is wonderful in this aspect of life.  She is patient with me and with our children.  I admire her so much for that.  God has put her into my life to constantly teach me about patience, even when I do not want to hear about it. 

 

Only God can help us become more patient.  Seek His guidance and pray for strength each day to handle the situations that are brought to you.  It will not happen overnight.  It is a learning experience.  He will give us strength if we simply ask Him.