A friend of mine told me this story about patience…
A martial arts student went to his teacher and said earnestly, “I am devoted to studying your martial system. How long will it take me to master it.”
The teacher’s reply was casual, “Ten years.”
Impatiently, the student answered, “But I want to master it faster than that. I will work very hard. I will practice everyday, ten or more hours a day if I have to. How long will it take then?”
The teacher thought for a moment, “20 years.”
Too often we try to rush through life and force things to happen before their time, when in reality, what we need is patience and the willingness to let life unfold at its own pace. King Solomon also spoke on this topic when he gave the following piece of advice (Prov 19:2) “It is not good to have zeal without knowledge, nor to be hasty and miss the way.”
Slow down. Listen more. Be willing to watch and learn. Take advice. Be patient. These are steps along the path to wisdom.