Message from Rebecca Buys, Middle School Teacher

Don’t pray for patience.

I know what you are thinking, “WHAT? You teach middle school, shouldn’t that be a constant prayer in your life?” No, don’t pray for patience because “ask and ye shall receive.”  ;) Do you know what strings are attached to a prayer for patience? Lots of situations that are supposed to teach you patience.

I think most of us can agree, that the process of learning patience is not easy! I don’t want to have to experience frustrating circumstances (or maybe students) that make my day more difficult, but along the way are supposed to help me learn patience. I just want to have it.  Of course, this isn’t the way it works because Jesus is the greatest teacher, and teachers know that students need practice! So, we are given situations that are going to help us to practice patience.

I recently read a friend’s blog in which she said that she had come up with a new prayer, instead of just praying for patience, pray for perspective.

“Lord, please give me better perspective.

Perspective that will help me to see the world through Your eyes.”

Perspective tells me what is important. Perspective tells me to be grateful for what I have, and who, and what is right in front of me.

Perspective tells me that even when I don’t feel like a patient person, I can be at peace with the knowledge that my day and all of its happenings are in God’s hands. Perspective, most importantly, tells me that my life is not about me.

Praying for perspective is allowing me to be more understanding and more gracious, because I see how my Savior is the greatest example of those things and I need his Spirit to work in me to mold me to be more like him.

So as I experience those daily grind circumstances that are teaching me patience, but are also driving me crazy, I need to pray for perspective. Perspective that keeps my eyes and my heart focused not on myself, but on Christ and on those He has entrusted into my care. 

So I pray for perspective that reminds me of God's clear will for my life: to rejoice always, pray continually, and give thanks in all circumstances.