PATIENCE - A Growing Need

Have you noticed that patience is harder to attain now than in any other time in history. We are in a time where we can instantly send messages across the world with just a click of the mouse. Have you ever thought when you put something in the microwave for 2 minutes that it was taking too long? We have come to expect instant gratification. Think about it, how often can we say that we endured hardship, difficulty, or inconvenience without complaint? Can any of us say that we are always patient in times of provocation, annoyance, misfortune, or pain, without complaint, loss of temper, irritation, or the like? Do we always have the ability or willingness to suppress restlessness or annoyance when confronted with delay or have patience with a slow learner? Keep in mind that our impatience does not only affect others, it affects us as well because impatience breeds anxiety, fear, discouragement and failure within ourselves. But, with patience we can endure difficult circumstances, which can mean persevering in the face of delay or provocation without acting in annoyance or anger. We can exhibit forbearance when under strain, especially when faced with longer-term difficulties. Patience is the tool used to measure the endurance that our character can take before becoming negative; our ability to remain steadfast.

Look, I realize that this is not a popular subject and no one likes it when they are confronted with their weaknesses, but we each need to take a hard look at ourselves and dig deep inside for a desire to change if we are going to change our world. Patience still remains a valuable tool in our life; some of the best things in life require years of hard work and waiting. Fortunately, patience is something that can be worked on and strengthened, but it does take time. Once we cultivate and nurture it into an ordinary skill we certainly won't be disappointed. For anyone who wants a life of relaxation and peace of mind, we must resolve to work on our patience.

To learn the art of patience, we need to learn to apply discipline to our thoughts anytime we begin to feel impatient or anxious. The quality of being patient is to remain quiet, we shouldn't feel like we always have to voice what we are feeling. If we can remain even-tempered with steady perseverance then we will experience a life of patience which creates confidence, decisiveness, and a rational outlook, which eventually leads to success. Patience and fortitude should be prominent themes in our life's. Patience is an important personal trait.

Faith in a higher power than ourselves will aid us in finding the strength to have the patience we need in our lives. When we have patience we have the ability to make sense of a negative situation. We can calmly make decisions that will defuse an argument. If we could just stay calm enough in a negative situation to realize that it is a test of our patience, then, through that patience we can grow closer to God which allows us to attain true peace. God is with those who are patient, even more so when we are enduring suffering. By learning to endure our struggles with a good spirit; patiently persevering, striving and moving forward, despite our difficulties, then we will find peace, instead of trying to skip the challenging times, and avoid them. We are being taught that the way to a better life is through our challenges, through the difficulty. It takes patient perseverance and enduring with a good spirit, in order to reap both the internal and external rewards. We are able to realize perfect enlightenment.

Rather than just enduring our own difficult situations, let us remember that we should never return any harm any one, no matter what we feel they have done to us. Let us control our emotions, even when being criticized or attacked. Through meditation and prayer we are lead to a natural state of mindfulness that is conducive to patient, effective and well-organized thought. This will help us to lead a stress free, peaceful life, which in turn leads the stress free peaceful world that we all deserve.

Sowing Seeds of Patience: Guided Meditation
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TsUJ0Zsd2cw&NR=1