November 2, 2026
To be truly present and conscious, even while waiting, we need the spiritual quality of patience.
A spiritual quality is an attitude and a way of being that arise from the energy of pure divine love. The patience we experience in conscious waiting is therefore more than an ego accomplishment. It is a gift we receive from beyond our own capacities.
Rooted in divine love, patience grows from the spiritual realization that pausing, stopping, and simply waiting can be necessary for the divine plan to unfold. We learn to trust divine rhythm, timing, and flow. We recognize that certain experiences may need to accumulate and certain things may need to mature before the next step becomes clear.
Spiritual patience invites us into the deeper meaning of all delays and waiting periods. As we recognize and receive patience as a divine quality, we allow God to act through us—and, yes, even through our ego when it serves the soul. We participate by bringing our intention and willingness; God meets us with grace. In this way, patience becomes an act of co-creation.
This week, we had a flat tire while traveling a long way from home. It was after dark, and we needed roadside assistance. There we were, stranded in a loaded-down van with two dogs. Thanks to AAA, a wrecker service eventually came. The young man lumbered out of the wrecker with an unenthusiastic attitude. Maybe he did not want to be called away from home on a Sunday night. Maybe my flat tire was an unwelcome interruption of his evening. His first words were, "I believe this model does not have a spare tire, so I will just have to tow you in." But I knew I did have a spare and that it would take some ingenuity and strength to lift it out of the floorboard.
My frustration rose up inside me... I needed the young man to listen when I said that I did have a spare, despite his easy solution of towing me. But before my frustration took over, I remembered that everything has a purpose and that, for some good reason, this young man and I were put together on this night. I took a deep breath and tried my best to trust the spiritual process... to trust that there was a reason for it. So I stuck out my hand and introduced myself. "By the way, I am Joe. What's your name?" "Allen," he said. Then I explained to Allen that we had no other transportation and were expected somewhere that evening. I said that I believed he and I could locate the spare because I had read in the owner's manual that this model did indeed have one. I thanked Allen for coming out on a Sunday evening because I was very grateful to him.
And with that, a relationship developed between Allen and me. He remained certain there was no spare, but he indulged me by looking for it. And EUREKA! We found it and unearthed it from the belly of the van, after which he adeptly placed it on the wheel.
Allen and I were put together on that night. I do not know how he benefited from the exchange, but as for me, I found once again how essential it is to wait in trust that the spiritual process would unfold. Yes, the divine flow emerged as we waited.
I believe this is why Scripture names patience among the fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22–23). A fruit grows as it receives nourishment. As we receive divine love, patience can grow within us and we can make it to our destination.
Spiritual Practice
Pray for the divine quality of patience. As you wait, notice where you are holding tension and gently invite God's love into that place.
Inquiry
What might my ego fear losing if I receive divine patience and relinquish control over the timing?
Prayer
Dear God,
On my own, I struggle to wait, especially to wait consciously. I try, yet so often I become frustrated, irritable, and out of sorts. I blame myself and others. Instead of trusting Your timing, I insist on my own.
In that state, I find it difficult to be a channel for Your love. Today, I pray for Your divine patience. Help me loosen my grip and receive the love You are offering me. Let my ego serve my soul, and let my soul rest in You.
May I experience waiting as an act of co-creation, trusting that even here, in the pause, Your Spirit is bearing fruit.
Amen
