Patience

My most favorite prayer is this:


Teach me, my Lord, to be sweet and gentle in all the events of life: in disappointments, in the thoughtfulness of others, in the insincerity of those I trusted, in the unfaithfulness of those on whom I relied. 

Let me put myself aside, to think of the happiness of others, to hide my little pains and heartaches, so that I may be the only one to suffer them. 

Teach me to profit by the suffering that comes across my path. Let me so use it that it may mellow me, not harden nor embitter me; that it may make me patient, not irritable, that it may make me broad in my forgiveness, not narrow, haughty and overbearing. 

May no one be less good for having come within my influence. No one less pure, less noble for having been a fellow-traveller in our journey toward eternal life. As I go my rounds from one distraction to another, let me whisper, from time to time, a word of love to You. May our life be lived in the supernatural, full of power for good, and strong in its purpose of sanctity. Amen.

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I got a copy of this prayer back in fourth year college, and it has not left my wallet since.  This prayer just hits me in all the right places, and I always get a smile after whispering it to myself.  That's why whenever I am given a chance to lead a prayer, I always share this one.

Lately, I'm having problems with my patience.  I thought I am impatient with how things in my life seem to be so going so slowly, that I am not getting what I want, or that I just simply want to hurry up.  And then, after some introspection, I realized that my problem is not that.  I realized that I totally understand that life is what it should be, and I'm actually all for God's perfect timing.  My problem is I am impatient with people.  There.  I've said it.  I am impatient with those people who have no respect for others and, consequently, don't want to get some respect from their fellow man (Yes, Manila drivers, I'm talking to you.).  I have no tolerance for people who only think about themselves, highly at that.  I am short for people who do not try to be at their best behavior, even if they actually know better.  I told you, patience is my problem.

I wanted to deal with this attitude, of course.  Hey, I am not perfect so who am I to be so irritable?  So see, I am impatient with myself, too.  And so, I searched for a prayer for patience.  You know what came up?

My favorite prayer. :)

Though I already know from before that this prayer touches on patience, I didn't realize that it is THE prayer for patience.  It was entitled Learning Christ, after all, and not Prayer for the Impatient, Sad Soul.

I don't know, but I find this all very romantic.  God knows what I need to work on in my life, and I didn't realize that I have the help tool with me all along.  Turns out I really didn't have to look that far- the answer is with me all this time.  God gave it to me long before the time I needed it the most.

Oh, I just have the sweetest God.  Well, we all do. :)