Karen Limmer, St. Luke’s member since 2009

Proverbs 15:18 ESV

A hot-tempered man stirs up strife, but he who is slow to anger quiets contention.

Romans 8:25 ESV

But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

Reflection:

There are so many Bible verses on patience. It is clear God wants us to be patient. Yet it can be so hard! I am anything but patient. I could burst trying to wait for a response to an email. I easily give up on difficult tasks when I don’t succeed right away. God bless my parents for teaching me, well anything, but especially how to drive a manual transmission pickup. I am just this year learning how to fish, and it turns out that impatient people are NOT good at fishing! And could slow walkers just speed up already!?

The virtue I have prayed for most in my life is patience. For many years, I have asked God to help me be as patient as my dad. My dad is the most patient person I know. He remains calm as a cucumber in any situation. He won’t complain when he is bored, hot, cold, hungry, or angry. I’m not even sure he has been any of those things, ever. I have seen him sit through umpteenth-inning baseball games in the pouring rain without a bathroom break. He has suffered days at waterparks and beaches to keep his family happy even though he doesn’t swim. When my sister and I were teens, with plenty of teenage emotions and drama, he was always solid as a rock, never losing his temper. He is a birder for crying out loud! The man has the patience of Job.

And in all these years of praying for patience, wouldn’t you know that my “aha” moment came from Morgan Freeman in the movie Evan Almighty. Morgan Freeman, who plays God, of course, says,

“If one prays for patience, do you think God gives them patience? Or does he give them the opportunity to be patient?”

Thank you, God and Morgan Freeman and the writers of this silly but sweet comedy for that sentiment. Trials and tribulations can be gifts of opportunity to work on the worst in ourselves.

Prayer:

Dear God,

Thank you for the trials in my life. Thank you for not giving me what I ask for right away. Your plan is much better. Thank you for Dad, who shows me how to be patient. Let me continue to see the value in perseverance and waiting. Amen.