Patience…I have none…end of story. We live in a Give it to me NOW society and if we have to wait it can drive us crazy. How many times are we frustrated after trying to call or text someone and they don’t answer immediately? Believe it or not there were days not that long ago when if someone wasn’t home or didn’t answer the phone you waited until they returned and if they had an answering machine they might call back. 
Personally if my hubby doesn’t answer his cell on the first attempt to reach him I start to get irritated. Why do we pay all this money for cell phones if he isn’t going to answer…Hmm could it be that he’s in a meeting or with a customer? I laugh now but at times I truly am ready to scream! One of the kids will ask me what’s wrong and I’ll tell them daddy isn’t answering his phone. The immediate response from them is…oh let me try. Well that’s lovely…I’ve taught my children that patience is a virtue now haven’t I? If we keep calling then maybe he’ll answer?! (great lesson)
Romans 12:12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.
Life can certainly be more challenging than not getting the hubby to answer his cell and this is when practicing patience is crucial. When one of the kids makes a bad choice or you’re waiting for test results from the doctor or wondering if God will ever answer your prayers…these are the real challenges. I’ve dealt with these firsthand and many of you have too. When my husband was sick it seemed like years would pass before we’d get answers. It was a huge struggle and it took some time before I found the balance between patience and assertiveness that worked best for the situation.
Romans 8:25 But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.
It’s interesting that I’ve gone down the path of writing now. It has to be one of the biggest tests of patience one could ever encounter. You write a novel, you edit the novel, you send out queries which you may or may not get replies on (and the replies can take 5 min to 5 months or more). If you get lucky enough to be asked for more info then you write a proposal and once again the clock starts ticking. 
Right now I have 3 ‘proposals’ of some sort out and haven’t heard back yet (they haven’t said no so I’m taking this as a good sign). It’s excruciatingly painful to wonder what’s happening and if this is the path God really wants me to follow. Once again I need to pray for that perfect balance until the answers come.
James 1:2-4 Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 
Whatever you are waiting on…the big or small things in life…have patience. The answers will come though I can’t guarantee that they’ll be the answers you want or that you’ll get them soon. We grow so much from the trials we face and these situations give us strength to face whatever lies ahead…
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Bridget,
Ah, I so understand the lack of patience! That is one of my greatest faults. I prayed for patience, God sent me Jillian. Now if you knew Jillian, you would understand that this was a way to LEARN paitence, not really a quick fix. I thought that I had learned the lesson, then God sent me Robert!! Now Robert is a test for patience. Most days it seems like I’m getting about 50% on the test lol. I was hoping that maybe I was truely learning patience when God went ahead and sent me Molly. Now Molly is a challenge to any patience that I have learned. Guess God wants to make sure I really get it! I love (LOVE) these three children, but I wonder if praying for patience wasn’t something I should have faregone. I wouldn’t trade them for anything, but I think I would love them just as much if they weren’t part of my lessons. Here’s hoping you improve on your patience and remember to be careful what you pray for!!
Marcia
Ha-ha! I too have a ‘Jillian’ and she and ‘Andrew’ are my blessings and my patience testers! They teach me as much as I ‘try’ to teach them…thanks for the comment!
Funny….our local Christian radio station used Romans 12:12 as their “verse for thought” today. It’s a good one.
Definitely one of my fav’s
If I ever learn patience, I am sure the rest of the virtures will be a breeze!
love