When Patience Wears Thin

Monday of the Fifth Week in Lent

Book of Numbers 21:4-9

Manna and quail from heaven

From Mount Hor the children of Israel set out on the Red Sea road, to bypass the land of Edom. But with their patience worn out by the journey, the people complained against God and Moses, “Why have you brought us up from Egypt to die in this desert, where there is no food or water? We are disgusted with this wretched food!”

Imagine for a few moments :  You're one of the Israelites accompanying Moses on the journey to the Promise Land.  Literally years have passed by. You're still wandering around the desert with manna and quail as your only sustenance.  You're tired of the monotony of sand, dryness, and heat.  You think to yourself:  "When on earth will we arrive at the land of milk and honey?  Will it be worth all of this discomfort?  I don't know if I can take much more of this!" Perhaps others around you mumble and grumble, cursing God and Moses for the wretched food, smelly camels, and endless dirt!  Maybe you know in your heart you should be grateful to The Lord for life and  progress towards freedom, however slow. Yet, the little complainer in you wishes you'd never left Egypt or attempted such a (seemingly) pointless journey!

Oh, the monotony of our lives.... We engage in the same routines over and over.  Maybe we're in a repetitious job.  We lack challenge or inspiration.  We create the same documents; we deal with the same annoying people; we constantly fight the same fires.  Nothing changes as our patience wears thin.  We begin to grumble to anyone who will listen:  These wretched people!  This wretched job! My wretched life!  We easily become whiners and complainers just like the Israelites. If God punished us with snake bites every time we complained about something, we'd be in and out of the emergency room!

I don't know about you, but when I get frustrated with life's stagnation I reflect on the accomplishments over my almost 41 years. I'm college educated, intelligent, employed, a home owner, and believe in God!  I'm blessed with an incredible family and network of friends.  My Catholic faith is a huge part of my existence.  If it wasn't for Jesus, I don't see myself as successful.  If it wasn't for God's blessings, intermixed with burdens and struggles, I wouldn't be the woman I am today.  

Life is so unfair!  Some people have it easy while others have it rough. Why does God allow  inequality?  Why does God give surplus to some and a deficit to others?  It's one of those questions that really God can only answer.  He calls the shots and dishes out the blessings.  He gives each one of us what we need to the extent of our abilities.  I can whine all day why God didn't make me an extrovert with tons of charisma and the ability to smooth talk anybody into promotions and prestige!  I can pout all day why the Holy Spirit doesn't lure a handsome man into my marital bedroom!  Geese, if God gave me everything I wanted I'd probably find an excuse to complain about something.  It's just the nature of us sinful human beings.  

I sometimes wonder if "complaining" should be listed among the 7 deadly sins. Hmmm....Complaining really get us nowhere, but keeps us in a state of negativity.  In negativity, we are more vulnerable to sin.  

We don't want to adhere ourselves to the Devil, but gravitate toward God!

When your patience begins to wear thin, pause for a moment and think:  "Is what I'm upset about really that important?  Is it something I should let go and leave it up to God to handle?"

Keep an attitude of gratitude and stay away from complaining.  It's a tough thing to do, especially when things circumstances are bad, but God is there to help!

-J.