I’m not a patient person. Anyone who knows me can testify to that. And they’ll tell you that it’s the little things that get to me. When the big storms come, I can be as cool as a cucumber. But if I’m trying to jiggle a screw out of a light fixture, and it just won’t come out…watch out. I turn into “Red Ross.”
When I was a kid, I’m sure this was hard on my parents to navigate. And it only escalated when I was a teenager who started driving. (Let’s just say I didn’t do too well behind a slow car in the “fast” lane, or anytime I was stuck at a red light behind a car that decided not to turn right.)
I wish I could say that I conquered this lack of patience as an adult. But I’m not even close. I keep failing. And while years of hard work have led me to a place where I can control it better than I could as an immature adolescent, it’s a character flaw that I’ll likely struggle with for the rest of my life.
Most days I have the best of intentions. I wake up striving to be the most patient man I can be. But then I have to re-install a car seat while outside in 110-degree weather. So I lose my mind and keep failing.
This past year, I decided to be more proactive and set it as a goal to work on. I specifically wrote the following in my notebook: “Work on patience, especially with my family.” But then my kids’ toys are scattered throughout the house, and they won’t pick them up. So I lose my mind and keep failing.
And as a Catholic, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve confessed my lack of patience to a priest. But then Carson Palmer throws an interception at the worst possible time, and I watch my favorite football team, the Arizona Cardinals, miss a shot at the playoffs. So I lose my mind and keep failing.
But outside of the fact that “I keep failing,” did you notice any other consistent pattern?
I keep trying.
For so long, I would beat myself up whenever I lost my patience. I would give myself a hard time about it and wonder why I wasn’t able to get it right. But I wouldn’t stop to recognize the fact that I kept trying.
And when you want to accomplish anything in life, persistence is what pays off.
Do you keep failing to eat right because that trip to Chick-fil-A is just too tempting? Keep trying.
Do you keep failing to get in shape because you like that snooze button too much? Keep trying.
Do you keep failing to get out of debt because you just can’t resist the latest sale at Target? Keep trying.
Why? Because that persistence will pay off.
The other day, my 2 boys were fighting over something in our living room while I was watching some TV. I heard them and hoped they would figure it out, but they didn’t. It escalated. I wanted to charge up the steps, storm into the room, and chew them out. But I didn’t. This time I took a deep breath, calmly walked up the stairs, got down on one knee, and handled the situation.
As they went back to playing, I walked back down the stairs and smiled. I didn’t lose my mind. I didn’t keep failing…and that’s because I kept trying.
Whether your goal is to lose weight, apply for your dream job, find financial peace, become a more patient person, or grow in holiness, don’t give up if you keep failing. You can do it…as long as you keep trying.
As always….sound advice. Even for a grandma who is 71!!!
Thank you, Cheryl! Hope you have a blessed Holy Week!