The Virtue of Patience

Why is the virtue of patience such a challenge for most of us? There is certainly an endless bounty of opportunities for us to practice patience in this life. Why is it important to God for us to learn patience?

In a world of fast food, fast cars, immediate answers to any question (Google), and having every problem solved in 30-60 minutes courtesy of the entertainment media, we have become overly accustomed to the instant answer, and in many respects even feel like we deserve to receive immediacy – or are somehow entitled to it.

Aren’t most things of value created or attained through patience? It’s true: “We won’t find the fine china in the bargain basement.” Success and honor and accomplishment come from tenacity and hard work and endurance; all of which only come through the miracle of patience.

Interestingly, Lucifer’s plan required no patience – everyone just shows up and Shazam!... we’re all winners. Nobody needed to learn anything; we wouldn’t finish mortality as any better people than when started it.

So, why does God expect us to learn patience? One answer: Charity is patient. We learn to love better when we’re patient with each other, even when we’re patient with strangers, when we’re patient with ourselves, and importantly – patient with Heavenly Father.

Patience is a ‘core virtue’ – meaning that so many other attributes of being Christ-like are rooted in patience: forgiveness, tolerance, compassion, faith, discipline, chastity, perseverance, frugalness, moderation, industry, and the list goes on.

Zion people are a patient people, and our sincerest desire should be to become more like Zion. As we are more consistent in our patience, it will be reciprocated. Patience is contagious, if we’ll give it a chance.

It is a blessing in others’ lives when we’re patient with them. If we want to really bless our children, bless our spouse, bless our neighbors – be patient.

Don’t we all have an incessant desire for the Lord to exercise an unrelenting amount of patience for us? Absolutely we do – it’s our only hope!

Even though we’re not perfectly patient, yearning to have more patience with our families and each other will go a long way in helping us become more like the Master of patience, our Savior.

Please watch this excellent video on patience – it’s less than three minutes and very well done!

Love, bishop Wm. Calvin Hughes

September 30, 2010