Have you heard of the impatience joke? There was once a man who begged God to give him patience. A few minutes later, he asked God to please hurry in granting the request.

When thinking of patience, we may think of Saint Monica and her youthful son, the future Saint Augustine. How Saint Monica’s heart must have suffered as she saw her son live a life that continuously drove him further and further away from the glowing warmth of God the Father’s love! Many of us may relate to her as we think of those friends and family members who we pray will embrace their place as children of God.

Think about all the various qualities each individual has – devoted passion for a cause, a wonderful sense of humor, a deep emotional capacity, or a knack for anticipating the needs of others – and what a gift it would be if those qualities were used at the service of the Holy Spirit’s promptings! It can make one impatient when that is not what they are being used for. 

We can pray for what St. Josemaría called “holy impatience.” This is a prayer I composed to ask for help living the virtue of walking at God’s pace:

May our holy impatience make us incapable of waiting a second beyond the prescribed time of the Holy Spirit. May the Spirit find us standing in the doorframe when it arrives, so that we may step into the work we must do instantly.

May the patience we have built up when doors were closed on us, and nothing seemed to be moving in the right direction serve as fuel for the fire that Christ uses to form us into His instruments of action.

May Our Lord spare us from wearing out others’ patience with our selfish or irresponsible behavior. May we lighten people’s burdens instead.

May I never forget God’s patience with me! May it serve as a fountain from which to draw the strength to be patient with others.

May I never lose patience entirely. And if I lose it, as is possible with my weakness, may it only be for a second before God lifts me to try again. May I never turn my back on Christ’s image, present in each and every life I encounter.

Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh is about having trust in God’s timing and patience as we await divine grace. The story follows several characters, tracking the movements of their hearts away from, and finally, towards God. In one of the most striking moments, the book references G.K. Chesterton’s Father Brown series with the words, “a twitch upon the thread”. It is an interesting juxtaposition that calls to mind the idea that we play the ‘long-game’ in terms of our spiritual development, while at the same time recalling that God can make this work take place immediately. On one hand, God’s time is not our time, so we must be patient. On the other hand, we should never stop praying that the change happens now… as quickly as possible!

In short:

• Definition: patience is walking at God's pace and trusting his timing.
• Young saints: St. Monica shows us the deep, enduring love of a mother who never stopped praying, even when her young son, St. Augustine, seemed far from God. Her patience bore fruit in time, and her hope never ran out.
• Books & movies: Brideshead Revisted shows us how slowly hearts can turn back to God. We play a 'long-game' spiritually, while knowing that God can give us the grace of growth at any moment.
• From St. Josemaría: “Don’t you long to shout to those youths who are bustling around you: Fools! Leave those worldly things that shackle the heart... and come with us in search of Love!” (The Way, no. 790). More here.
• Practical tips:
  • When things feel stuck, remember that God is still working and forming you for action. And let God lift you up when you fall down.
  • “Holy impatience” means being ready, standing at the door, when the Holy Spirit knocks, not snoozing in the back room.
  • Remembering God’s patience with us gives us strength to be gentle and persevering with others. Try to lighten their burdens.