A to Z Challenge - P

A to Z Challenge – P

P is going to be twofold – Patience and Praying, added together that is Praying for Patience.

I have been described at many points in my life as having the patience of Job…how did I get this? Was I blessed with it, born with it? Maybe to some degree, but I remember while I was doing my home daycare, I had two children of my own, was going through a separation and eventual divorce and I remember one night….I prayed for patience. Literally got down on my knees and told God, I can’t do this anymore…grant me patience.

I will not say that it was a mistake, but I won’t ever pray for it again! Never…no way, no how! (Probably not anyway, I have learned also not to tell God never – hehe – That’s how I was blessed with Frosting!)

Why?

How do you build a muscle? You break it down, you work it out and then that muscle grows back stronger, bigger and better. Have you ever thought about patience as a muscle? It is a spiritual muscle, like faith, trust, and virtue.

Prayer is also a muscle and it is one that I admit I am not very structured about. I catch myself praying in little snatches throughout the day, but I am not very disciplined about praying my rosary or dedicating time to praying in general. It is a muscle that I need to Practice using – another P word!

It’s really easy to tell someone you have patience, you have faith, you have virtue….but how do you know? Have you questioned your faith, but then allowed the Lord to fill your heart? Have you been tempted to cross A line in your personal life or your professional life and then allowed the Lord to guide you? Have you ever really felt like throwing in the towel, giving up, laying down and allowing life to carry you away…and then deep in your heart remembered that God would not bring you to it, if he would not bring you through it. I promise you…It is true! More importantly…He promises you!

What does all this have to do with Prayer and Patience…with Praying for Patience? You have to trust…another big muscle we work out everyday! We have to trust His promises for us, just like we trust the sun will rise. Everyday! And if you live WAY up north where the night can last 6 months of the year…your trust muscle is REALLY big, you KNOW that the sun is going to rise…it may take a while, but your trust it and you have Patience for it!

Lately my life has been one trial after another, it seems as if there is always someone sick, there is never enough time, there is always another obstacle in my way…and REALLY I didn’t pray for patience, but maybe it is time for me to work that muscle and stop whining. Maybe, just maybe it is time for me to put on my big girl panties and deal with it – deal with life and stop laying down and letting it happen to me.

Perhaps, -haha- another P word, Perhaps it is time for me to be patient and allow God to bring me through it.

Live, Laugh, Love ~

Vanilla Mama