As kids we always thought superpowers belonged to superheroes like Superman, Spider-Man, and Wonder Woman. As we grow from impatient little children into full grown adults, we begin to realize the true superpower in this life is patience, and the ones that learn to master this are the real heroes.

Someone wise once said, when we pray for patience, God doesn’t just give us patience; instead, He gives us opportunities to learn patience, to be patient.

What does it mean to be patient? The definition of patience is the capacity to accept or tolerate delay, trouble, or suffering without getting angry or upset. To be patient is to have peace and maintain your integrity despite what is or isn’t happening.

For Christians, patience looks like continuing to praise God, continuing to find things to be grateful for, continuing to be obedient despite the fact you haven’t gotten (or may never get) that one thing or things you want.

I had recently found a lump in my neck, and the doctor recommended I have an ultrasound. After getting my ultrasound, I was referred to have a biopsy. I was waiting for several weeks to find out if that lump in my neck was cancer. This was one of the most difficult yet also one of the most wonderful times of my life, and God taught me so much.

The waiting started off rough, I spent countless hours researching—article after article, video after video. My mind was so tired. All I wanted was an answer so I could be ok. That’s when it hit me—I would never be ok if I needed this to be ok. I would never be ok if I needed anything except God to be ok. This set off a revelation, an awakening of sorts. My peace, my joy, my sanity was circumstantial, and that was not what I wanted.

I made up my mind to be different, to be patient. I made up my mind to hold on to my integrity, my peace, my faith, and my joy despite not having the things I wanted. I threw myself into the arms of God, into my passions, my writing, my art, and the present moment. Somewhere along the way, I realized the answer didn’t matter nearly as much as it once did; I realized I had just discovered a superpower.