Struggling with patience

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lemonadish

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Hey forums! I’ve recently p(name removed by moderator)ointed an issue that I have and I was wondering if anyone here has any suggestions for me.

I’ve really figured out lately that I’m pretty impatient with other people and I get really tense and judgmental from that. Obviously, I don’t want to be like this, since Jesus loves and has infinite patience for everyone. Does anyone have any suggestions that would help me to practice being more patient?
 
lemonadish said:
Hey forums! I’ve recently p(name removed by moderator)ointed an issue that I have and I was wondering if anyone here has any suggestions for me.

I’ve really figured out lately that I’m pretty impatient with other people and I get really tense and judgmental from that. Obviously, I don’t want to be like this, since Jesus loves and has infinite patience for everyone. Does anyone have any suggestions that would help me to practice being more patient?
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Welcome, both to the Catholic Church and to the forums! Ah, patience! Well, the greatest source of patience is our Lord Himself. Please consider finding out when your parish offers adoration of Christ in the Blessed Sacrament. Take an hour to spend in His presence, asking Him for peace in your heart and patience with others, as He has been patient with you.

How about a short book to read? Searching for and Maintaining Peace by Fr. Jacques Philippe has been a wonderful help for me. Catholic Answers does not currently offer it, but you can easily find it on Amazon or other sources. Less than $8 plus postage.

May Christ’s peace be with you.
 
I’ve seen a lot of improvement in my patience levels simply by praying for it. Each night when I say my prayers I take a moment to meditate on oneof the fruits of the Holy Spirit (ourladyswarriors.org/faith/12fruits.htm). Most often I choose patience since I need a lot of help with that one. I can’t tell you what a difference this has made in my life!
 
For me, patience and humility go hand in hand. I pray the Litany of Humility after I finish praying the Rosary. Remembering my proper place in the world and asking Jesus to free me of pride and a sense of being entitled, while also praying for the ability to esteem others more highly than myself goes a long way toward instilling patience. But if I neglect to pray it on a particular day, I feel more on edge and less patient that day.
Praying the Litany helps me to prepare for my encounters with others as if I was preparing to meet Jesus. Now, I am far from perfect! But I can still say that I can feel Jesus working in my heart to increase humility and patience after praying.
I hope my story helps you.
 
Randi said:
For me, patience and humility go hand in hand. I pray the Litany of Humility after I finish praying the Rosary. Remembering my proper place in the world and asking Jesus to free me of pride and a sense of being entitled, while also praying for the ability to esteem others more highly than myself goes a long way toward instilling patience. But if I neglect to pray it on a particular day, I feel more on edge and less patient that day.
Praying the Litany helps me to prepare for my encounters with others as if I was preparing to meet Jesus. Now, I am far from perfect! But I can still say that I can feel Jesus working in my heart to increase humility and patience after praying.
I hope my story helps you.
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Amen! It was revealed to me that impatience is of the ego. That was a real wake up call for me. Also, welcome home!

Christ’s peace be with you.
 
I have the same issue and for me I know know the root is pride, because I want things done my way when I what them done. I started going to confession once a month for the past year. Having to say it out loud every month has helped condsiderably.
 
lemonadish said:
Hey forums! I’ve recently p(name removed by moderator)ointed an issue that I have and I was wondering if anyone here has any suggestions for me.

I’ve really figured out lately that I’m pretty impatient with other people and I get really tense and judgmental from that. Obviously, I don’t want to be like this, since Jesus loves and has infinite patience for everyone. Does anyone have any suggestions that would help me to practice being more patient?
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Ohh I SO struggle with this one. All the time. I remember Fr. Corapi saying in one of his talks that the best way to become more patient is to practice patience; best way to do that is to pray to God for the grace to be more patient. God will see to it that you get your practice lol.
 
Constant struggle with me as well…I am a idealist…and people just do not always fit the ideal…:rolleyes:

But what helped me is if I paused,reflected and put myself in the others shoes…NOT what would I do in this situation, but why would THEY do that, why are THEY doing this? It helped me to understand that I am not perfect and God created many different people, different ways…🙂
 
lemonadish said:
Hey forums! I’ve recently p(name removed by moderator)ointed an issue that I have and I was wondering if anyone here has any suggestions for me.

I’ve really figured out lately that I’m pretty impatient with other people and I get really tense and judgmental from that. Obviously, I don’t want to be like this, since Jesus loves and has infinite patience for everyone. Does anyone have any suggestions that would help me to practice being more patient?
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Hey Lemonadish, I think that this is something that we all struggle with at times (some more than others). I always struggle with this, but I have found ways that seem to help me. 1. praying too God and asking for more patience. I pray often about this and ask God for patience, humility, etc. 2. short prayers seem to help. say your stuck in traffic, stuck in a long check out line, or something that bothers you more personally, I find that saying short prayers helps me with this problem, instead of getting angry, pray the Our Father over and over silently in your head, same with the Hail Mary, or just repeating Jesus I trust in you can be very helpful. Iv’e also noticed that I have more patience when dealing with someone who has something stupid or hurtful to say too me or about me (Thanks be to God), by reading quotes from some of the great Saints that make up the Catholic church. I remember quotes like the one I will write out below and they seem to help.

“Whenever anything disagreeable or displeasing happens to you remember Christ crucified and be silent.”

JOHN OF THE CROSS
 
lemonadish said:
Hey forums! I’ve recently p(name removed by moderator)ointed an issue that I have and I was wondering if anyone here has any suggestions for me.

I’ve really figured out lately that I’m pretty impatient with other people and I get really tense and judgmental from that. Obviously, I don’t want to be like this, since Jesus loves and has infinite patience for everyone. Does anyone have any suggestions that would help me to practice being more patient?
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If you find an answer to this - then sign me up!!!

My confirmation name is Patience. For a reason. I have none. 😦

It is virtuous to be patient. Love is patient, as it says in Corinthians. And yet I never have patience for much of anything - even catching my sleeve on the door can be enough to get me huffy sometimes. And it makes my husband crazy.

Let’s all pray for each other, who lack this virtue - it is a horrible cross to bear at times.

~Liza
 
lemonadish said:
Hey forums! I’ve recently p(name removed by moderator)ointed an issue that I have and I was wondering if anyone here has any suggestions for me.

I’ve really figured out lately that I’m pretty impatient with other people and I get really tense and judgmental from that. Obviously, I don’t want to be like this, since Jesus loves and has infinite patience for everyone. Does anyone have any suggestions that would help me to practice being more patient?
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For me, it helps to chew gum. I can play with it, blow bubbles, and do other things while I think about the fool that is babbiling in front of me.

Sounds silly, but it does help.
 
Rascalking said:
For me, it helps to chew gum. I can play with it, blow bubbles, and do other things while I think about the fool that is babbiling in front of me.

Sounds silly, but it does help.
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Sounds silly? I hate to sound harsh here, but that sounds absolutely stupid. I know that next you will want to say that I’m judging you for saying this, but what many people don’t understand is that we are called to teach and admonish each other, which I hope you can see that I’m trying to do this here. to stand face too face with someone and chew gum, & blow bubbles while they are talking to you, and judge them as being a fool, and you are somehow superior to them lacks total humility and is not a Godly thing, its just an ignorant thing. P.S. please also see what Jesus has to say in Sacred Scripture about people who call others fools.
 
lizaanne said:
If you find an answer to this - then sign me up!!!

My confirmation name is Patience. For a reason. I have none. 😦

It is virtuous to be patient. Love is patient, as it says in Corinthians. And yet I never have patience for much of anything - even catching my sleeve on the door can be enough to get me huffy sometimes. And it makes my husband crazy.

Let’s all pray for each other, who lack this virtue - it is a horrible cross to bear at times.

~Liza
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**
Liza, I think it’s so cool that that is your confirmation name!! 😉 Awesome!

Raising hand I too need to practice having more patience. :o I find that the more I go to Confession the better I get at it. Having 4 kids and one on the way, there’s just times when I can really lose my patience (not intentionally, of course!)…praying more has helped me as well. I’ll keep all of you in my prayers as well!! 👍

(Liza, I love watching Real Catholic Tv’s videos, they really do expose things I never knew.👍)**
 
All of us know someone that we view as being quite humble. Have we ever seen that person impatient or upset at simple things? Probably not. I once worked with a man who was viewed by many as rather simple and uneducated. However, I also well remember him, when others were upset and stressed at some situation, calmly say to me “they’ll get over it”. I also remember him sitting apart at lunchtime and praying before he ate. Patience goes hand in hand with humility. Work on humility and patience will be given you.
 
THANK YOU everyone for your responses! 🙂 I very much appreciate all of the advice and will take it all to heart. 🙂
 
mamacita said:
**
Liza, I think it’s so cool that that is your confirmation name!! 😉 Awesome!

Raising hand I too need to practice having more patience. :o I find that the more I go to Confession the better I get at it. Having 4 kids and one on the way, there’s just times when I can really lose my patience (not intentionally, of course!)…praying more has helped me as well. I’ll keep all of you in my prayers as well!! 👍

(Liza, I love watching Real Catholic Tv’s videos, they really do expose things I never knew.👍)**
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😃

~Liza
 
lemonadish said:
Hey forums! I’ve recently p(name removed by moderator)ointed an issue that I have and I was wondering if anyone here has any suggestions for me.

I’ve really figured out lately that I’m pretty impatient with other people and I get really tense and judgmental from that. Obviously, I don’t want to be like this, since Jesus loves and has infinite patience for everyone. Does anyone have any suggestions that would help me to practice being more patient?
Click to expand...
prayer! continuous, confessional, trusting prayer to Jesus, in the Holy Spirit.

this is the only thing that helps me not just control my irritation and frustration, but which changes me for the better (very gradually).

Angels Heart, prayer does help. sometimes it takes a while for the Lord to work on us. when He answers our prayers, He’s also trying to show us something of His greatness, love, compassion, and ability and willingness to help us. He doesn’t always work quickly, as we understand quickness. but He does and will work on the willing and surrended heart, to conform it more into the likeness of His Son.
 
Angels_Heart said:
I have been impatient all my life and praying does not help
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First, we must learn to be patient with ourselves as God has been patient with us. The great Saints have something to say about this:

“Let your understanding strengthen your patience. In serenity, look forward to the joy that follows sadness” - Saint Peter Damian

But, what if we also lack understanding?

“Understanding is the reward given by faith. Do not try to understand to believe, but believe in order to understand” - Saint Augustine

I cannot recommend highly enough Fr. Jacques Philippe’s book Searching for and Maintaining Peace. It is less than $8, about 100 pages, and its insights will lead you much closer to mastery of patience, and interior peace.

May Christ’s peace be with you.
 
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