The Price of Patience

Exercising patience is a useful pursuit in any area of life, naturally it takes a long time to learn, a long time to build, and a long time to grow. Each type of patience is unique in its form just like the many facets of a muscle. Exercising each facet gives the bodies physique well rounded growth, and balanced beauty in form. Without a doubt there is always one facet of the muscle that is significantly more difficult to work properly, even painfully more difficult to the point where most newer or less enthusiastic 'bodybuilders' may choose to ignore this piece of the workout.

To add this part of your workout, at least in the beginning, it is wise to use light comfortable weights and concentrate on smooth controlled form. Slowly this part of the body wakes up, becomes stronger and eventually becomes as much a pleasure to work on as the rest of the body. I'm using this analogy because, at least for me, the most difficult facet of patience to work on has been my patience with others. In the very beginning the easiest form to work on was exercising patience with myself.

It's easy to allow yourself room for error. To ignore the anger in others that is a natural result of making your own collection of major foul ups in the quest to learn and explore this life. We all inadvertently hurt others in our 'pursuit of happiness' by falling out of the balance between total selfishness and total servitude. The naturally easiest reaction is to get up, brush yourself off, ignore the mess and run off at full speed headlong into the playground again. Only to wreck once again into the crowd. This is the only price of personal patience. It's extremely easy to forgive yourself a thousand times just to crash it all again. After all, it's my life, I'm having fun, and I have all the time in the universe to get it "just right". And I don't mean your version of right, but mine, the one that makes me the happiest. No one else can tell you what that is, you just know it for yourself.

This natural strength in patience makes it easy to keep working, and to grow at a pleasurable pace. Turning this patient exercise onto others, unfailingly turns out to be infinitely more uncomfortable and the most natural response is to attack the person who is irritating you at the very least. The price that has to be paid in order to grow is to suffer this person who is disturbing your peace. The more bullshit you put up with, the stronger and more patient you become. You find this strength in situations keeping your cool and not getting upset by the actions of others, thus being better able to make productive decisions for yourself and everyone around you.

When you look at this situation through the eyes of the ministry your motivation for patience comes from the fact that you know at some point the client you are working with will eventually expose their painful area, the 'thing' that is causing them to act like an asshole, making it extremely unpleasant to minister to because you are so sick of their shit. Literally.

Once this area is finally exposed properly, naturally, and in a manner that can be clearly and comfortably acknowledged by the client. Only then can you apply the searing sword of the spirit. The words that cut off any more damage, cauterize the wound, and begin the healing process. In your relationship with this person this exposed wound will now be on the table so to speak, and the previous behavior will no longer have an outlet. The reward for the price paid is that the person receives the healing words that you were chosen to deliver, and now you can breathe a little easier because you don't have to put up with as much crap.

The reason for this post is crucial. As the ministry of Christ grows in you and through you, expanding into all the world around you, your personal patience will be the deciding factor between the life and death of the client. For the majority of situations it is easiest to cut a person off completely, simply because you don't want them in your life anymore, ever. This is pure and acceptable in your personal growth and even necessary for your own protection. Remember that as the body of Christ grows and becomes stronger, others more suitable will find this person and be able to serve. However at some point, this client, who in our Fathers eyes is precious, will be receiving the final cut. Eternally separated from life itself. Your sword brings both life and death, so wield it wisely, exercise your patience and know that every day, your decisions hold the weight of the Judge Himself.......