Endurance: staying the course when the going gets toughCOFFEE WITH WARREN, with Warren Harbeck |
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Virtues Reflection Card courtesy The Virtues Project (virtuesshop.com) A recent blog post by one of our coffee companions reminded me of the Scripture verse, “Consider him who endured such hostility against himself…, so that you may not grow weary or lose heart.” Linda Kavelin-Popov, author of The Family Virtues Guide, is a psychotherapist who draws widely from the world’s religious and cultural traditions to promote community healing. Her post that caught my attention was The Gethsemane Secret (Nov. 12, 2017). It recalls Jesus’ prayerful struggle in the Garden of Gethsemane only hours before his crucifixion. About his confrontation with adversity she notes that Jesus ultimately prays, “Nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.” In such trust Linda sees a transformational example for us. “In our own Gethsemane times, we must know what we feel, acknowledge what we wish, yet be open to our destiny. To trust even in the darkest times, that the Divine has a greater plan for us than we have for ourselves, is our true soul work…. It leads to resurrection, the fulfillment of our purpose and our joy.” This is about endurance, she says. “Endurance is our ability to withstand adversity and hardship…. When trouble comes, endurance gives us the strength to stay the course.” Linda’s words are timely. I’m guessing many of us are in need of that reminder right now. Disheartened by headlines? Storms and darkness in our own lives? Bewildered? Tempted to give up? As Linda says, “We don’t give up or feel hopeless about ourselves.” Yes, with endurance we can stay the course. Or, as Rodgers and Hammerstein put it: “When you walk through a storm, hold your head up high / And don’t be afraid of the dark…/ Walk on, walk on / With hope in your hearts / And you’ll never walk alone / You’ll never walk alone.”
© 2018 Warren Harbeck |