Enduring with Patience

AM Psalm 26, 28 • PM Psalm 36, 39
Exod. 19:1-16 • Col. 1:1-14 • Matt. 3:7-12

Paul, in his letter to the Colossians, asks that “we be prepared to endure everything with patience, while joyfully giving thanks to the Father.” How do I practice patience? The first step might be to realize I am experiencing IMpatience. Why is my program for happiness not manifesting before my eyes? This is a good place to ask who is feeling impatient and who is aware of that impatience? To become aware that there is an experiencing ego and an observing ego is a significant advance along the spiritual path of transformation of the False Self, i.e., the experiencing ego.

Now there is a fork in the road of inner experiencing—the little self (ego) immediately has a story (or stories) to tell at this point. The stories are boringly repetitive and often consist of blaming someone or something else for our difficulty. Why has this virus wreaked such havoc in our lives? Why can’t I go to the tattoo parlor? Will life ever be the same again? As the stories develop there are emotions that get turned on, like fear and anger and confusion. Thomas Keating refers to these feelings as “afflictive emotions.” Before we know it, we are deeply mired in a complex of affect that has us ready to fight or flee or freeze.

Let’s return to that fork in the road before we were caught in this maelstrom of the False Self running amok. We could have taken the “road less traveled” and tuned into our Higher Self (the still, small Voice) who might have observed the situation, taken three long, deep breaths and thought, “Isn’t that interesting...what might this situation offer in the way of a teaching moment?”

If I can navigate to this place I will “joyfully give thanks to the Father,” even in the midst of this all-encompassing pandemic. Cowabunga!

Written by Nicholas Cole

Nick is sheltering in place and celebrating the Amazing Azaleas in Northwest Arkansas. Springtime in the Natural State is healing balm for the soul!