Moments and Opportunies

Patience is a Virtue…… 

Sitting here at the airport waiting to pick up my fiancé whose plane has been delayed by three hours. I arrive as quickly as I can with high anticipation to see him again after being separated for four weeks, only to find out that I have another thirty-minute wait. On top of all of this when he finally gets inside my car, he proceeds to tell me “I have to leave Sunday to drive to Denver for work.” So with my busy work schedule and his, we really only get to see each other on Saturday. Patience is a Virtue. 

     We have been in a long- distance relationship for about a year and a half now, and today, my sweetheart has been traveling since 2:30 am and it is now 6:30 pm. He lives in Florida and I live in Colorado. We haven’t seen each other in four weeks, and the day he is supposed to fly out, a hurricane moves into Florida and all sorts of other things happen within the airport that cause delays. The time we spend apart is sometimes harder than I ever imagined it would be. From different time zones, to different work schedules, to loosing service three, four, five times in one phone call, to misunderstanding texts, to staying up until 3:00 am to resolve an argument, to missing out on important events, to sometimes paying hundreds of dollars for flights if only to see each other for the weekend. It can be a roller coaster of emotions that really tries my patience. I have found myself saying over and over, “I can’t wait until we are together, I can’t wait until we are both in the same place, this long-distance is so frustrating, I can’t wait until we are married”. Patience is a Virtue. 

     During our time apart, there are two ways I could look at things. And believe me sometimes it’s so much easier to complain about it and want to rush to the next phase of life. But I am learning to deal with things with patience and I am trying to reflect on my relationship with God, and my relationship with my fiancé. I’ve learned that no matter what phase of life, or season you are in right now, nothing is worth rushing. One of the biggest things I’ve learned through our long-distance relationship is to be patient with each other. Patient in correspondence, forgiveness, communication, desires, work, goals, needs, family, and aspirations. Life goes by so very quickly, and so many times I feel like we rush to get to the next season in life, that we forget to enjoy the one we are in. If we cannot learn to appreciate the moments and seasons God has us in now, what makes us think we will enjoy them in the future? Being patient also goes along with being content. There are so many things we think we need that would make our life better, but we should just be still and thank God for the season He has us in now, and let Him be in charge. We all go through seasons of life that are trying and test our patience, maybe even test our relationship with God. And yes being in a long-distance engaged relationship is difficult, but it’s very important to learn to appreciate whatever season God has you in right now, and be content in all things because God has you there for a reason. A reason you might not ever know. For me, I have to learn to use this time of separation as a time to grow my relationship with God, a time to learn how to be patient, and to learn to talk through things even if we can’t be in person. 

     So be encouraged, wherever you are at right now in life, is just a season, be it good or bad. Be patient and trust that God will carry you through to the next one. And don’t rush through life, appreciate every moment. 

When we pray for God to give us patience, He doesn’t zap us with the virtue of patience, He gives us moments and opportunities to learn how to become a more patient person. 

Blessings, 

Hannah 

“First I was dying to finish high school and start college. And then I was dying to finish college and start working. And then I was dying to marry and have children. And then I was dying for my children to grow old enough to start school so I could return to work. And then I was dying to retire. And now, I am dying….and suddenly I realize I forgot to live.” 

~ livelifehappy.com

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