Impatience

Being Patient Is Not Something Intrinsic to the Person, but a Virtue That Can Be Developed and That Even Brings Health Benefits

Impatience and Health

Countless situations contribute to our impatience. These include traffic, long public transport commutes, slow internet connections, bureaucracy, family problems, unsuccessful projects, comments from your spouse or friend, conflicts at work, and long lines at the grocery store, just to name a few.

In today’s fast-paced world, impatience has become a common trait, driving us to rush through activities. However, this can be concerning. A study conducted by Northwestern University revealed that impatience is a psychosocial factor that raises the risk of developing hypertension and, subsequently, cardiovascular disease. The study tracked 3,300 adults aged 18 to 30 over a 15-year period. By the end of the study, 15% of the participants had developed hypertension between the ages of 33 and 45. The results of this study were published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), and Northwestern Medicine also released an article on this topic.

The problems from lack of patience, however, do not end there. “Impatience, that is, emotional dysregulation, alters the entire quality of life and relationships, brings internal suffering and in relationships with more friction, less dialogue and less ability to solve problems,”  says psychologist and psychotherapist Cristiane Pertusi, who holds a Doctorate Degree in educational and human development psychology.

Despite the evidence that impatience negatively impacts people’s lives, it is an increasingly common condition. Psychologist Sandra Evangelista says this is because we live in a digitalized era that has changed our relationship with the world: “We are affected daily by a tsunami of information that overwhelms us and does not generate knowledge. We speed up audio and videos. We produce content with just a few lines, and we are blocked or excluded by ‘algorithms’ because we are the result of this race in which the winners are those who perform and produce in record time.”

Shall We Learn?

But anyone who thinks that people are born with patience is mistaken. Obviously, some are more prone to patience than others, but everyone can develop it. How? “Patience is a virtue that can be learned, and learning occurs in our environment, made up of physiological reactions, thoughts, moods, and behaviors. The most effective ways of emotional regulation, mainly in developing the virtue of patience, are having compassionate communication, realizing which needs of yours are not being met and creating better communication strategies, being clear and objective, practicing active listening, and ensuring that person [you are communicating with] truly understands your need,”  responds Sandra.

The best part is that patience brings benefits to those who practice it. “The benefits range from greater focus, learning, quality of life, and improved sleep to improved body immunity due to a calmer mind,”  says Cristiane. She remembers that many factors can interfere with the level of patience. Therefore, it is important to be careful with the music you listen to, what you read, what you watch, your screens, and the quality of your sleep. Cristiane suggests some habits: “Try to practice daily breathing exercises and physical activity, take breaks to contemplate and relax during your day, and cultivate positive thoughts.”

It Is Also the Fruit of the Spirit

The Bible shows that the nine manifestations of the fruit of the Holy Spirit are “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” (Galatians 5:22)

In some biblical translations, longsuffering appears as patience. In the book The Works of the Flesh and the Fruit of the Spirit, Bishop Edir Macedo clarifies that “longsuffering means firmness of mind; a patient and generous tolerance while waiting for things to happen.”

As mentioned previously, patience is developed through the challenges we face. In James 1:3, we find this statement: “The testing of your faith works patience.”  In the Holy Bible with Annotations on Faith by Bishop Edir Macedo, we learn that “this does not mean a passive acceptance of circumstances, but rather the ability to persevere and maintain constant faith. […] At the moment when our faith is tested, we need to resist without deviating from spiritual principles because, in these situations, many become discouraged and disapproved. Patience amid struggles demonstrates our trust in the Word of God (Romans 5:3).”

When we have the Holy Spirit, we are not immune to impatience. However, we have a Helper to help us take a deep breath in the face of adversity and trust in the Word of the One who created patience. Even though we live in a time that encourages us to ignore this virtue in favor of immediacy, He still reminds us that what we seek is eternal and not fleeting. Therefore, there is no need to be in a hurry.