SEC-S10W5 | Patience.

Patience! Yes, that is a virtue! It is rare in this world that is filled with stress and troubling situations. One who previously had patience looses it easily due to effects of the last days.

But life requires patience
marriage requires patience
Motherhood/parenthood requires patience
Business requires patience
Even steemit requires patience, isn't it?

The word patience is the ability of an individual to tolerate some challenges, distressing circumstances, troubles and problems and even when angered without becoming annoyed or giving up on the situation or person. It really takes a mighty man to be patience.

One who is patient is considered to be a weakling by most people. But just take a look at some wise expressions

By patience a commander is won over, And a gentle tongue can break a bone. (Proverbs 25:15 NWT)

The one slow to anger is better than a mighty man, And the one controlling his temper than one conquering a city. (Proverbs 16:32 NWT)

From the expressions above, a patient person is considered the strongest person. Hence, patience is a virtue.

No one is born with this quality, if not, a newborn baby will not cry when hungry, and the world would have been a better place. But experience has proven that it needs to be cultivated. It is not also inherited, if not, kids will always behave exactly like their patient mother or father. In fact, the admonition to 'train up a child in the way he should follow so that he will not depart from those trainings when he grows up' will not be proper. Little wonder that Galatians 5:22 of the Holy scriptures shows that Patience is an aspect of God's Holy Spirit. That means that, if we need it, we can pray for it and we can cultivate it.

Q1:

Do you tend to lose your patience easily or do you control yourself all the time?

I do not loose my patience easily neither do I control my patience all the time. Honestly speaking, as far as I a concerned, patience is one of the qualities I strive to cultivate though it's not easy. As a human who is not perfect, I sometimes loose it though I do blame myself for it afterwards.

I have had countless situations where I was able to control my patience. It was during my school days. I was always called upon to be the class prefect in my high school because it was based on who takes first place in the class then. And the same thing happened in the Polytechnic. I became the course representative for 2 conservative years. And as the course representative, you have a lot of responsibilities that are capable of distracting one from the main reason why one was in school. Classmates will disturb with their assignments and projects submissions even when classes are on. And especially when you are out to the school Library to read.

On one occasion, a classmate had to yell at me, blaming me for being out of the class when she wanted to submit her script. She attracted the attention of others and it was very embarrassing to me. I nearly loosed my patience but friends and other course mates came to my defense including a lecturer. I had to hold my anger and allowed that period to pass by. It was difficult but I was glad that I did because I later found out that she was a cultist who wanted to get me into their group. That was one of her tactics.

However, during my primary school days in Anambra State here in Nigeria, there was this group of bullies who took advantage of my patience, thinking that I was a weakling. They always taunt me and will always want to fight me on my way home without cause. I tried my best to avoid them, though I was somehow afraid of them. But they did so repeatedly. Knowing that they won't stop, I gave up my patience and fought them. Guess what? I beat nonsense out of them that day and from then, I became the boss lady among them.

In a nutshell, it depends on the situation at hand, the mood I am into at the moment, and the reason for the situation. These are determining factors to whether I will control my patience or loose it.

Q2:

What is it that makes you most desperate or stressful?

Compounded and prolonged problems and distressing circumstances. If I had been trying hard to deal patiently with a situation or a challenge or something else and it persists, at some point, I feel stressed and desperate and I give in.

But I am good at exercising patience. Though to the extent possible. I won't say that I do so perfectly but I do try my best. Not that the situations are joyous but it is just what I have learned. It is a duty and I will keep trying to perfect it.

Q3:

How do you avoid losing your patience?

First, I try to view myself in the other person's situation if it has to do with a disagreement. Then I imagine if I were the other person, what I could have done or not have done, this slows down my anger.

I also strive to reason the fact that no perfect situation on Earth today exist and no one is also perfect, hence, I won't expect perfection from anyone.

I pray for Holy Spirit and try to remember that I have been shown patience by the Almighty

Jehovah is not slow concerning his promise, as some people consider slowness, but he is patient with you because he does not desire anyone to be destroyed but desires all to attain to repentance (2 Peter 3:9)

Love is patient and kind

I try to walk away from any situation that will threaten my patience. I also try to avoid using words that will fuel the situation.

These points above help me to remain calm and avoid loosing my patience easily though it is a struggle. I have also come to understand that a calm heart gives life to the body. So there is no need to loose patience often.

Q4:

When you lose patience, how do you act?

When I eventually loose my patience, it is usually horrible. If it is word fights, I am good at that and you can't win me. If it is written fights, I am good too. If it is physical fights, trust me but I have deleted this entirely from my list because a slave of the Lord doesn't need to fight but needs to be gentle towards all.

Even to my kids, they understand that when I loose my patience, they need to run because I can use anything around me to inflict punishment. But in all, I am trying hard to make the needed changes now that I still have the opportunity. I am work in progress and as such, I am working real hard to hold onto patient because it is a virtue, lack of it is capable of leading one into destruction.

Q5:

What advice can you give us regarding patience?

Do not sale your patience due to any situation because it is a virtue and as what I had discussed earlier shows, one who is always patient is considered a might man or woman despite the fact that others may consider you to be a weakling.

Patience is a quality that needs to be learned and nurtured. It makes for a lasting relationship.

Try to walk away from any situation that threatens your patience, no situation is worth your patience.

Pray fervently for patience because it is lacking on earth. People around you lack it and you may be pressured to give up yours (2 Timothy 3:1-5)

Each day that passes by, do an assessment test on yourself to see if you displayed it or not. Try to work on improving it.

If you fail after several attempts to display it, don't give up, keep trying. With the help from the Almighty, you will succeed.

Conclusion

Patience is a virtue, don't loose it.

Cultivate it and hold it tight, it leads to good health and many more blessings from the Almighty.

I am glad that I have been able to give attention to all questions raised with regard to this topic. It is a wonderful contest idea. I therefore invite @mesola @okere-blessing and @isrealakhere to also participate in this wonderful contest

Note, all images were designed by me using PicsArt app