The Real Score: Patience

At last week's Feast the Gospel reading was taken from Luke 4: 31-37. The mass celebrant was again the lively Rev. Fr. Charles Luis "Cha" Jaime. According to Fr. Jaime, Jesus' authority can tame the demon in us and drive them out. In driving out those temptatio
ns of our evil tendencies in us we need God to strengthen us in our fight. We need God's grace because alone we can do nothing.

Last week we started a new series entitled "Real Score." Talk 1 is all about

"Patience". Bro Buddy said than on Judgement Day, God will not ask how much money you have earned, how many certificates you had, or if you finished a degree, but God will ask you how much have you loved

In 1 Corinthians, 13, the first description of this greatest thing on earth -Love- is patient. He said that impatience means you lack trust in God. Many times, you're impatient because you take matters in your hands. If you want to be patient, learn to take matters into God's hands.

Bro. Buddy pointed out that patience is an internal problem. Circumstances don't cause impatience, you cause your impatience. Impatience comes from your desire to control things that you have no control over. According to him, God has given us the power to control over a few things only. Many times you can't control the stimuli around you but you can control the response o those stimuli. At the end of the day, you can only control one thing and that is yourself.

In Colossians 3: 13 it says, "Make allowance for each other's faults..." You can't control people's faults but you can control your response to those faults. Expect imperfections, learn to live with their imperfection and your relationship will be happier.

Bro. Buddy shared 3 important ways you need to do to become a patient person.

1. Stop - In James 1: 19-20 it says, Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. The important thing is to stop what your anger wants you to do at that precise moment.

2. Look - Look for God in the difficult situation, specifically look for God's love. Look for Him loving you at those moments of testing. Look for His presence in this irritating situation or annoying person.

3. Listen - Listen to God's instructions. Ask the big question, "What is the wisest thing to do?"

Many times, subconscious fear is the fuel of our impatience. And our greatest fear is the fear of worthlessness. The antidote of impatience is deep trust in God's love.

Brothers and sisters when you know you're totally, completely, and absolutely loved by God, you know there's nothing else to prove.