A Prayer for Patience

Lord, give me patience — and I already know better than to ask You to hurry.

You see where I keep losing it: in traffic, in checkout lines, with the child who asks the same question nine times, with the coworker who talks in circles, with my own slow progress at becoming the person I want to be.

Teach me what You seem to know so well — that almost nothing good grows fast. Not trees, not trust, not character, not me. You are never in a rush, Lord, and You are never late. I would like to live like that.

When the answer to my prayer is "wait," keep me from grabbing the wheel. When people are slow, remind me how patient You have been with me — that usually ends the argument.

And in the small daily delays, the ones too minor to mention but big enough to ruin an hour, give me a longer fuse and a lighter heart.

Grow in me what hurry never could.

In Jesus' name, Amen.

When to Pray This

Pray this at the start of a day you already know will test you — or right in the middle of the moment, through gritted teeth if necessary. God is not offended by a prayer prayed while counting to ten.

A Verse to Hold On To

"Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him." — Psalm 37:7 (KJV)