The Three Things That Test My Patience Most

Name your top three pet peeves.

Some things roll off my back with ease… and then there are the things that make my eye twitch. You know the ones. The everyday annoyances that sneak up on you when you’re trying to keep your life together. I used to think patience was something I had in abundance until I realized it only takes three small things to remind me I’m still growing: unwashed dishes, lateness, and people knocking on the bathroom door like I’m hiding state secrets.

These tiny tests reveal more about my inner world than the big storms ever do. Funny how that works. Scripture says, “A person’s insight gives him patience; his virtue is to overlook an offense” (Proverbs 19:11), which tells me God already knew this list was coming. Because even the small stuff carries spiritual lessons if we’re paying attention.

1. The Unwashed Dish Symphony

There is something uniquely triggering about walking into the kitchen and seeing a stack of dishes waiting like they’re auditioning for a horror movie. Not only do they stare me down, but they hold the whole space hostage. A clean kitchen feels like a reset button; a messy one makes the whole house feel off balance.

Someone once said, “Order is the shape upon which beauty depends,” and honestly, I felt that. It’s less about the dish itself and more about the atmosphere it disrupts. When things are put away, I can breathe again. Maybe that’s why Ephesians reminds us that “God is not a God of disorder but of peace” (Ephesians 4:3), as if to whisper, this too can be holy ground if you let it.

2. Lateness, the Silent Aggravation

I’m the type who shows up early even when I don’t mean to. So when others stroll in twenty minutes past the agreed time, my inner monologue starts auditioning for its own drama series. It’s not just punctuality. It’s care. It’s consideration. It’s honoring what we both agreed to.

“What you do speaks so loudly that I cannot hear what you say,” Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote, and I think lateness fits that truth perfectly. Showing up on time is a form of integrity. It shows presence, respect, reliability. Scripture echoes it too: “Let your ‘yes’ be yes and your ‘no,’ no” (Matthew 5:37). To me, that includes timelines.

3. The Bathroom Door Incident

Let me set the scene. I’m in the bathroom, minding my business, trying to get ready, and someone knocks like they’re the FBI. There is no faster way to activate a small thunderstorm in my soul. I always think, What exactly do you think I’m doing in here? Teleporting?

Someone once joked, “Patience is what you have when there are too many witnesses,” and honestly, the bathroom is where I discover if I have any left. Even here, Scripture nudges me gently, reminding me, “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love” (Ephesians 4:2). I’m working on it. Pray for me.

Soul Insights

1. Minor frustrations reveal major truths.

It’s rarely the big life events that show me the real state of my heart. It’s the small, repetitive annoyances that expose where I’m still holding tension or trying to control outcomes. These moments invite me to pause and ask what deeper need is going unmet. Am I craving order? Respect? Space? Often, the pet peeve is just the doorway to a deeper understanding of myself.

2. Boundaries are often learned through irritation.

When something consistently bothers me, it’s usually a sign that a boundary needs to be communicated or strengthened. The frustration is simply the messenger. Learning to voice expectations early prevents resentment later, and it teaches me to build healthier rhythms with the people around me. Irritation is not the enemy; silence is.

3. Humor is a holy coping mechanism.

I’ve learned that humor softens the edges of frustration. When I can laugh at myself instead of spiraling into annoyance, I reclaim emotional freedom. God didn’t design us to be rigid; He gave us joy as a release valve. Humor turns petty moments into human ones. It gives grace room to breathe.

4. Patience grows where honesty lives.

I can’t grow in patience if I pretend things don’t bother me. Telling the truth about what irritates me is not petty; it’s self-awareness. When I acknowledge my limitations, I also acknowledge my need for grace. Patience is not passive. It’s cultivated through daily choices that honor truth, kindness, and humility.

5. God uses tiny inconveniences to refine character.

It’s easy to be gracious when everything goes your way. It’s a different story when someone bangs on the bathroom door like you staged a coup. These moments train my spirit to practice gentleness, even when I feel the opposite. The goal isn’t perfection. The goal is transformation, one small irritation at a time.

Final Thoughts

If my pet peeves taught me anything, it’s that everyday annoyances are spiritual mirrors. They reflect where I’m growing and where I still need work. They remind me that I’m human, still learning, still stretching, still becoming. And the good thing is God doesn’t waste even the smallest of these moments. Every dish, every late arrival, every bathroom interruption is shaping me into someone more grounded, more compassionate, and more aligned with the person I want to be.

Your Turn

What tiny, everyday things test your patience? And more importantly, what do they reveal about the person you’re becoming? Share them and let God meet you in even the smallest places.

By the way…

While you’re here, I’d love for you to explore my book 17 Syllables of Me and visit my website, SoulPath Insights.

Thank you for taking the time to read! 🤗

Soul Path Insights