The Year That Taught Me the Power of Patience

 

As the last month of the year arrives, I find myself looking back at a journey that reshaped my understanding of life, people, and faith. One year revealed more than four decades ever did. It showed the reality behind faces, the truth behind actions, and the depth of what the human heart can endure.

This year, I witnessed cruelty in ways that exposed how ego can consume a person until their essence of humanity disappears. Ego, when unchecked, distorts perception, destroys relationships, and blinds individuals to the harm they cause. Psychology teaches that ego-driven people operate from fear, insecurity, and the need for control. Islam teaches that arrogance blinds the heart and distances one from Allah. Seeing this unfold reminded me of how far a person can fall when humility leaves their character.

I saw how some stand proudly on the side of injustice while presenting a different face in public. The world often applauds the oppressor when the truth is hidden. Oppression becomes normalised when society chooses convenience over courage. This duality of behaviour shows the complexity of human psychology—how people protect their image more fiercely than they protect their integrity.

I witnessed the quiet resilience of women who continue to nurture, love, and protect their children despite being surrounded by cruelty. Their strength is not loud; it is steady, grounded, and deeply spiritual. Islam honours such women, reminding us that patience in hardship is a noble form of worship. Psychology echoes this, noting that emotional endurance under pressure builds resilience and strengthens identity.

I saw how people take advantage of the vulnerable, assuming weakness gives them power. Their actions revealed more about their own emptiness than the situation of the person they tried to harm. Those who oppress often forget that the vulnerable are not alone. The Qur’an reminds us repeatedly that Allah is the Protector of those who are wronged. Life eventually exposes the truth, and justice arrives in ways no human can predict.

I witnessed the power of persistence. Every step forward, every moment of consistency, every refusal to give up proved a universal truth: effort creates momentum. Islam teaches that Allah is with those who strive, and psychology confirms that persistence rewires the mind toward growth. No one can block what Allah has written. People can attempt to take away what they never gave, yet divine timing remains untouched.

Through all these moments, one truth became clear. Patience is not a passive waiting; it is a spiritual and psychological strength. Patience regulates the mind, calms emotional storms, and helps us remain grounded when life becomes chaotic. Islam elevates patience as one of the greatest virtues, promising divine companionship to the patient heart.

This year taught me that patience is the bridge between the pain we feel and the peace we seek. It transforms trials into wisdom, hardship into resilience, and uncertainty into trust. The greatest gift Allah gives to those navigating cruelty, loss, and injustice is the strength to remain patient. Patience is not a sign of weakness; it is the courage to trust the process, to believe in divine justice, and to walk forward even when the path is unclear.

As the year comes to an end, I carry one lesson above all: patience is not only a gift from Allah, it is also the pathway back to Him. It is the quiet force that shapes the heart, strengthens the mind, and prepares the soul for what lies ahead.