BECOME MORE PATIENT
Taken from “Good Advice For Daily Living”
Rev. Bonnie MacDonald
2 Timothy 2:24-26
“The Lord’s bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will.”
John 14:26
“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.”
Repeated practice is one of the most basic principles of most spiritual paths. In other words, whatever you practice most is what you will become. If you are in the habit of being uptight whenever life isn’t quite right, repeatedly reacting to criticism by defending yourself, insisting on being right, allowing your thinking to snowball in response to adversity, or acting like life is an emergency, then, unfortunately, your life will be a reflection of this type of practice. You will be frustrated because, in a sense, you have practiced being frustrated.
Likewise, however, you can choose to bring forth in yourself qualities of compassion, patience, kindness, humility, and peace – again, through what you practice. I guess it’s safe to say: “practice makes perfect.” It makes sense, then, to be careful what you practice. This doesn’t mean that you have to be uptight trying to monitor yourself, but it does mean for you to become aware of yourself and your emotions and how you react to certain stimuli.
Try making yourself have a quiet mind. Just sit still for a minute or two at first, and then as you practice this, you can add more time to it. You will become calmer and give yourself the experience of relaxation. Doing this, you can teach yourself to be at peace. And, allow the Holy Spirit to be your leader and guide. If you are a born-again Christian, the Holy Spirit lives in your heart and He will help you.
Just close your eyes and focus on your breath – in and out, in and out. Empty your mind as best you can. Do this over and over. Over time you will teach yourself to just focus on your breath and when you do, you mind will be renewed and you will be happier and less stressed.
At first, it will not be easy because many thoughts will try to crowd in – but just push them away and don’t get under any pressure. Remember, we are only talking about two minutes a day. That two minutes could make the difference in how you treat your family and everyone else around you, as well as giving you a newness in your life.
TRY IT!
