walkthesame: Patience, Perseverance, Hope Words by Johanna Loh Seasons come and go, in and out of o

walkthesame:

Patience, Perseverance, Hope

Words byJohanna Loh

Seasons come and go, in and out of our lives. Some leave light, some leave scars. It could be due to any number of reasons… the people we love most, who hurt us the most. And as a consequence, we end up nursing wounds that never quite heal. We may make bad choices that leave us hanging onto the edge of a cliff. Circumstances may happen that throw us off-track and cause us to lose ground in the walk of life.

And we lose patience. We lose patience with other people. We lose patience with ourselves. We lose patience with life.

But all things work for good, as long as we keep searching and chasing down that which is bigger and better than us. In life, we all face disappointments and challenges which contribute to the daily wear and tear of our spirits. How do we overcome, how do we keep going, how do we persevere?  How do we be patient? The human race is a funny thing. It is so tensile, yet so fragile at the same time. People – us, carrying our hurts, burdens, shame, regrets, hopes, dreams…At the end of the day, what are we striving for? What is our purpose here on this earth?

Patience and perseverance goes hand in hand. And they lead the way to hope.

I believe that we’re here on this earth for a reason, placed here and created by God’s hand. Otherwise, I keep thinking and wondering. Surely existence cannot be that mere temporary timeline of 100 years or so. We are not born just to go through the normal process of living, if you could call it living. If human existence is defined by achievements, we will never be satisfied. We just keep wanting more of everything, because of the innate desire within us to pursue more, such as money and power. But what use is it if we gain the world but lose our soul? If we are defined by the lifestyle we lead like the house we own and the jobs we hold, that only leads us into the comparison trap. Think about it.  We are so much in a hurry to get by in life, we forget that patience calls us to take it slow, and just live.

Living as compared to existence – there is a fundamental difference.

Living is leading life with a purpose.
Existence is just holding on to life.

Life is a process. It’s not easy, but when we choose life instead of existence; we find that there is so much to live for. Every single person is here for a reason. The black days and challenges only make us stronger people if we choose to pick ourselves up, forgive and keep going. I don’t know how it is like for every single person, because everyone is so unique, facing differing sets of trials and circumstances. But all I say is, keep going. Press on. Patience and perseverance goes hand in hand. And they lead the way to hope.

In being patient, a few things are worth committing to memory:

1. Don’t let the past define you, but look forward to the future. Take time to honestly deal with any hurt and let the wounds heal.
   
2. Often, we’re our harshest critics. It might be easier to forgive others than forgive yourself. But forgive yourself anyway, because you are worth it.
   
3. Love others.
   
4. Good things don’t come easy, but the good things are worth fighting for.
   
5. Be purposeful. Choose well. Live.

To borrow the words of Paul, “Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.”

Being patient in life can mean many things. In the tough seasons, it could mean completely surrendering to God’s plan. In the process of life, it could simply be taking it one step at a time and treasure the process – the good and the not-so-good. It could be as simple as slowing down to take a moment, rather than rush through the day. It could mean keeping silent for the sake of listening to another. It could mean giving the prodigal a second chance, over and over again…

And in doing so, we persevere. Step by step, day by day. And our character is forged and refined as we encounter afresh the hope of God, and learn to live in the fullness of his love.