The Patience Perspective

I've probably written about this before, but I am not a very patient person. In general, I don't like to wait, or maybe just don't think I should have to wait for things. Sayings like "Good things come to those who wait," are usually completely lost on me. I've been known to forge ahead blindly, push hard to get what I want, and sometimes even blow on stoplights to make them turn green (Corrina, Corrina reference). When people tell me they're praying for patience for me, I tell them to STOP IT! Do you know what God does when someone prays for patience? That's right. He gives them opportunities to practice it. No thank you. 

But like it or not, the last four weeks have become a bit of an exercise in patience, as I have been working through a silly little foot injury. I don't consider myself a running nut by any means. I've never done a marathon; in fact, I'm still contemplating my first half marathon. I don't run just everyday. But I did have a goal this year. I wanted to run 500 miles this calendar year. And I really just plain love running. It's my space, my breathing room, my energy booster. And four weeks without something you love is a really long time. Especially in peak season. Especially when there's a goal on the line. 

I've done pretty well to be patient during this time. I have listened to doctors. Rested A LOT. Tried other workouts. Today I was given permission to test the waters after a month of rest, and I was not optimistic. I figured I would head out the door, down the hill, and hit my favorite trail just in time to be in a lot of pain and grumpily mope back to the house. Not exactly the best attitude, I know. But I was pleasantly surprised after the first five minutes to still be pain free. So I went a little further. But then, something clicked in my head, and I thought take it easy. When all I wanted to do was get out there and pound out a mean five miles, my patience actually kicked in all by itself. A nice steady slow start this week and next may be just what I need to actually remain pain free instead of just be hurting again tomorrow. This natural patience thing kind of caught me off guard, and I'm sure it is not going to be a universal application in my life suddenly, but it's certainly a start, right?

I learned a little something else about patience this time around. Sometimes when we're forced to wait on something, we get creative. Sure, waiting sometimes has its merits, but when it doesn't, it turns out that there is more than one way to get from point A to point B. For me, not running gave me a new temporary mission: find a bike. And yesterday, I bought a used road bike as a means of working out while giving my foot a little more rest. Why I didn't think of that four weeks ago is beyond me, but hey, I'm new to this patience thing, so give me a break. 

I'm sure that whether prayerfully requested or strategically absent from my prayers, patience is something that God is going to work on me either way throughout my life. I will probably kick and scream the whole way, but eventually, I might even grow a little. All that from a broken foot? Not a bad lesson or two. Thanks, God.