“Whoever is patient has great understanding, but one who is quick-tempered displays folly” (14:29). Are you a quick-tempered person? Are you easily irritated by others? Do you tend to fly off the handle, say extreme things in anger, and then regret it afterwards? Perhaps you know this about yourself but you can’t seem to break out of the behaviour. What is needed in this case is not more effort at repressing anger. That’s not healthy either. You need to develop a virtue that will counteract your anger in these situations. That virtue is patience. Patience is not just the absence of frustration and anger. It is positive virtue rooted, as the proverb says, in an understanding. We gain patience when we understand that we were never and will never be in ultimate control over our circumstances. Patience comes from that faith that embeds itself in the flow of God’s Spirit who flows calmly through all obstacles. We will get bumped and scraped by life’s obstacles as we flow onward, but we should let God carry us forwards and not get caught up or preoccupied with the obstacles. Nothing can thwart what God wants to do, so there is no need to get frustrated. God is not frustrated, so neither should we be. Patience also comes from understanding that moments of frustration or offense are opportunities for sacrifice. Patience is empowered by this willingness to worship God through constant small sacrifices. Instead of lashing out at a person you absorb the frustration or offense as an act of sacrifice. That will enable you to flow calmly through that circumstance.
Ask God to develop faith and patience in you.
Read Proverbs 14:29-35
