Patience is a virt...

Patience is a virt… patience… wait, what is patience? In a world that demands faster internet, faster transportation, faster food… patience is a word lost long ago in the days before the internet and the microwave. My early experience with the internet took no less than five minutes to connect to my Instant Messenger while listening to a weird alien sound. Now if people see that spinning icon on any device for more than a split second, they want to throw it through the wall. Patience has always been a test for mankind, but I feel like the problem is getting exponentially worse. Technology has hastened our “I want it, and I want it now” mentality. We are living in the most impatient times among the most impatient people the world has ever seen. We’re seeing the effects in all areas of life. Lack of patience is wreaking havoc on families and the job market alike. When you lack patience with your wife, your marriage suffers. When you lack patience with your employer, you’ll find yourself constantly frustrated by thinking you deserve more than you do because your promotion doesn’t happen on your timeline.

When the Bible talks about patience, the word brings along with it the idea of “endurance.”Patience is persevering towards a goal, enduring trials, or expectantly waiting for a promise to be fulfilled. Our culture today has no concept of “delayed gratification.” When a 20 something young person graduates from college, they immediately expect to have the same standard of living as their parents, who it took 30 years to get to where they are. And when they don’t get what they “deserve” when they think they “deserve” it, they give up or move jobs. That’s why we have a record number of adult “children” still living with their parents. The old saying “good things come to those who wait” is perfectly describing this idea of enduring! You will feel cheated, wronged, frustrated, treated unfairly, overlooked for promotions, falsely accused… but stay faithful and stay patient! Each life scenario, good or bad is preparing you for the next step on your journey. If you jump the gun, you may be missing out on something much better than your impatient self settled for.

Your personal fitness is no different. How many “get ripped fast” and miracle supplements promise a shortcut to your dream beach body?! “Only 30 seconds a day of twisting, blinking your eyes, and crunching and you’ll have the body of a Greek god!” Give me a break! There are no shortcuts! I’ve been lifting to get “bigger” since the age of 22. At 35, I have spent hundreds and hundreds of hours lifting countless pounds of weight over, and over, and over… each rep getting me closer to my goals. Building muscles is the poster child for delayed gratification! Regardless of your goals, it’s all going to take work. When you look in the mirror and are dissatisfied with what you see, you must realize that you didn’t get that way overnight, nor will you get where you want to be overnight. Patience! Endurance! Your hard work WILL pay off. Good things come to those who WAIT! Keep going my friends! It is all worth it!

Matt