Jesus Christ practiced the power of patience throughout his life. As his disciples, we can follow his example and be patient.
Patience is the ability to endure well through the trials of life without constantly feeling angry or negative. While being patient may seem impossible at times, we can learn from and follow the ultimate example of patience: Jesus Christ. As we grow closer to the Savior, we will become more patient and positive and recognize other Christlike attributes.
In a 1973 BYU devotional address, Elder Marvin J. Ashton declared patience to be a great power in our lives and said that the fruits of patience will be blessings for us. He also shared how we can practice patience in four areas of our lives:
- Patience with God. “Heavenly Father is an almighty God because he has eternal patience with us.” We must be patient with him in return.
- Patience with Family. Family is forever. Since those relationships last beyond this life, practicing “patience with family members is most important.”
Photo by Joshua Yu.
- Patience with Friends, Associates, and Neighbors. We should aim to “take counsel and direction repeatedly without resentment and without impatience.” By doing so, we will strengthen our relationships with those around us through the spirit of Christ.
- Patience with Self. “We should teach ourselves patience—patience to believe in ourselves, patience to motivate ourselves, patience to believe that God and I can do it.”
Patience can be a great power for positivity in our lives if we practice it as Christ did. It is a key for unlocking joy in our lives. By joyfully practicing patience and love, we cannot fail.
Read Marvin J. Ashton’s devotional address “Patience Is a Great Power” to learn more about the blessings of practicing patience.
Source: BYU Speeches
—Jillian Argento, Mormon Insights
FEATURE IMAGE BY THAO LE HOANG
Find more insights
Read and watch President Dieter F. Uchtdorf discuss the lessons of learning patience in his April 2010 General Conference address “Continue in Patience.”
Check out Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin’s April 1987 General Conference talk “Patience, a Key to Happiness” for his testimony of patience as a divine attribute.
Patience is one of the hardest things for me! This article was really helpful 🙂
Hi Leslie, we are so glad that this article was helpful for you! Patience really is something we all have to keep working on every day.