You Can't Hurry Life

Let me start by saying I am so sorry it has been so long since we have posted. Strangely enough, I have been sitting and working on this post for a long time, which I find oddly suiting and humorous when I look at the title. Needless to say, I'm glad to be back with you all.

“Patience is also a form of action.”

I always accepted that this was a part of my life, from a very young age. I have gone through many things over the course of my 22 years that have required an intense practice of patience. Waiting.

Wait for Uncle Rich to get out of prison.

Wait for your health to get fixed.

Wait for your big break.

Wait for financial stability.

This constant demand of patience on my part made me feel as though I was a master at it. No one could possibly come close to my well developed skill of patience. If there were competitions, I would win. However, my view of patience always stayed the same.

Stagnant.

Pause.

Sitting still.

Stuck.

Limbo.

Pergatory.

It was simply my duty to be content resting in patience. Resting in not being able to do anything.

But lately, I came across that quote that has begun to completely change the way I view patience in my life.

"Patience is also a form of action" Huh...

Oddly enough, patience has been coming up again a lot recently. One thing after another where the answer is simply, “Be patient.”

“You just have to wait it out.”

“It’s a waiting game.”

Turns out, having to always be patient in my life has ironically led my patience to wear thin at times. I have come to a point in my life where I really don’t like the idea of being idle. Not moving. Not doing. I like to know that I am doing something to move me forward and closer to the goals I have in life.

So when I got another answer a couple days ago that was simply,” sorry, you’re gonna have to be patient and wait it out.” I responded with “story of my life. I love being patient. It’s a good virtue. But I think I already have a pretty good grip on it. I mean that’s all I’ve ever done my whole freakin’ life. How about this time I can actually DO something.”

Then that quote popped into my head again.

“Patience is also a form of action.”

Is it though? Cause lately I could beg to differ. I’m sick of having to always wait for the things my heart yearns for.

But being patient does not mean doing nothing. In fact, it means doing a great deal.

You see, I think I have come to realize that the reason I have had to practice patience so much throughout my life is because when I find something that my soul longs for, I’m not gonna settle. I’m not gonna move on. This is it. I am going to fight for the things that bring me to tears. The things that wreck me on the inside. The things that make me come alive like nothing else does.

I find them. And I never let go.

This sort of determination and honesty with myself on what truly matters to me, requires patience.

An active patience.

The patience that is longsuffering. Refusing to give up. The patience that risks it all. The patience that lays its heart on the line.

It could end badly. Yup. It very well could. But I am gonna be around to find out if it does.

The active patience that requires a door being slammed in its face. Then locked. Bolted. And Chained. Before I move on.

And that is not an idle patience. That is a feisty kind of patience. It takes gumption.

So yes, a lot of patience is being required of me these days. But I know that they are things that matter to me. Therefore, I am going to keep going, keep pursuing, keep moving towards them. Because that is the kind of patience I practice. Patience that moves and shakes. It’s the only way I know how.

Now that's all fine and dandy, and I could leave you with a nice little inspiring ending that makes you think I got it all under control. But that would be the farthest thing from the truth. If you happened to read that and still found yourself incredibly frustrated with the idea of patience, you're not alone.

You see, as I was lying in bed last night, I started to get frustrated again, thinking about how this theme of “waiting” and “patience” has managed to be woven into every season of my life. I was getting annoyed at the fact that I just can’t seem to shake it, no matter how hard I try.

All of a sudden, this favorite song of mine popped into my head:

“You can’t hurry life, no you just have to wait.

She said, ‘Life don’t come easy, it’s a game of give and take.

You can’t hurry life, no you just have to wait.

You gotta trust, give it time, no matter how long it takes.”

Ah. The glorious Supremes! How I love them, particularly this song.

Now, I am fully aware that I changed the lyric to “life” rather than “love.”

As I sang through it, I realized that these lyrics are how I have felt about my entire life, but with a more hopeful and positive spin on them. Something I clearly needed in the pity party I was throwing myself.

Replace “love” with “life” and sing to self on repeat because if the words and truth of waiting are driving you nuts, then maybe singing the addictively, catchy tune about it will bring you some comfort.

One blog post, one moment of clarity is not going to fix everything. I am still going to find myself butting heads with this idea of Patience, but I do love how God continues to meet me in those places.

He shows up in new and uniquely suited ways for each one of us.

Yes. God encourages me by speaking through the Supremes. It’s the best.

So be on the look out for the ways God is showing you that “Patience is a form of action.”

You are not idle. You are moving and shaking as you find yourself in that supposed waiting place.

(And yes, “You Can’t Hurry Love” has been on repeat as I write this.)