"we want what we want, and we want it now."
i don't feel like i want a lot in life. i mean, material things have never really been an issue for me. i just randomly get ideas of how things should be. relationships. plans. adventures. events. i don't remember always getting so crazy to the point of obsessive about things at times. but a few times lately i have experienced the "some even feel their blood pressure rise" that uchtdorf mentions.
the problem is, when i tell myself to freaking relax and get over it, i go to the other extreme. a bit of sadness, lack of passion and apathetic when i shouldn't be.
so where is the happy medium? whats the key?
1st step---realizing that its actually selfish. i hadn't really thought of it that way, but this paragraph really kind of kneed me in the butt:
"Impatience, on the other hand, is a symptom of selfishness. It is a trait of the self-absorbed."
when i get these feelings i think about myself. my wants. whats going wrong for me.
2nd thing---move.
"patience is not passive resignation, nor is it failing to act because of our fears. Patience means active waiting and enduring. It means staying with something and doing all that we can—working, hoping, and exercising faith; bearing hardship with fortitude, even when the desires of our hearts are delayed. Patience is not simply enduring; it is enduring well!"
i marked so many sections from this talk. but most of them had a resounding theme--action words.
WORK. wait. steady and consistent work. pray. continue to pray. exercising faith. trusting. service. win mastery. act. continue.
i do have this idea or thing i remind myself. to not freak out or worry about things you can't control or change. granted, i follow that very poorly at times. but i loved this quote. it was a good reminder to me:
"Patience means accepting that which cannot be changed and facing it with courage, grace, and faith."
Patience is such a toughy. It really is a trait of the self-absorbed like you said. I am guilty of it more often than I should and I think it's definitely something to work on constantly. In my mind, it goes something like this: "oh that's nice, really? anyway....moving on (to something more important to ME) or this is stupid, why are you in MY way?? Then the name callings, the anger, the frustration, and true selfish thinking comes out. Definitely need to pray for patience EVERYDAY!!
ReplyDeleteThis is so great.
ReplyDeletedude! joe you freaking CRACK me up! i seriously bust out laughing, i could like hear you saying this with your attitudey face. love it.
ReplyDeleteslade. YOU are so great.