Patiences goes hand in hand with Faith and Hope. In fact I would think it is impossible to have Faith and Hope without Patience. If you have true Faith and Hope you must wait for the blessings to be fulfilled, they will not be instantaneous solutions or answers. The Lord works in His own timing and we need to be Patient and accept that. In Romans 8:25 it reads "But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it." So, here we see that, we must wait with patience for the things we Hope for.
In PMG chapter 6 it reads "You need patience in your everyday experiences and relationships..." Sounds pretty important to me. In this life we face many delays, troubles, oppositions, and sufferings and Patience is the key to getting the most out of those times in our lives. Without Patience we will become Angry, frustrated, or anxious and likely miss the intended strengthening, knowledge, or general lesson that we could have received. For these reasons Patience is very and undeniable important.
Patience is also related to Diligence. It will take Patience in near anything in which we are being Diligent. "Diligence is steady, consistent, earnest, and energetic effort..." PMG chapter 6. The relationship between Patience and Diligences is that one (Patience) is a mental state of waiting calmly in times of great pressure and knowing that we will be relieved from those pressures in the Lords due time, and the other (Diligence) is continued effort and physical doing despite times of great pressure. However, they are in my mind inseparable. Patience without Diligence is only lethargy.
In D&C 107:99 we read that "Wherefore, now let every man learn his duty, and to act in the office in which he is appointed, in all diligence." It is important that we all, despite our tiredness, weakness, and difficulties press forward with all Diligence in doing all that we can to improve ourselves and those around us. I feel if we are truly Patience then by extension we will also be Diligent in all that we do.
One of my favorite scriptures about Patience is Romans 5:3-5 which reads "And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; 4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope: 5 And hope Maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us." I really like this scripture for a couple reasons. One the relationship between tribulations and Patience. Paul says that if we are Patient in our tribulations then it will give us experience (or Knowledge) and the greater Knowledge we have the more Hope we will have. This Hope we will never be ashamed of because we will know that the Atonement is real and it will have an effect on us through the Holy Ghost which we will have. And again, as I have said, Having Patience without Diligence is only lethargy. If we are truly Patient then we will continue to study, press forward and help others even in our times of tribulation, and here I believe showing our Diligence is where we will truly learn and gain our experience. Therein lies the key to developing greater Hope. These things I say in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
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