Sorrow only seen with our own mind’s eye
will continually tear us apart.
We have to look to Him and ask for the sight
to view life and tragedies through His heart.
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33
Maybe it is a gift
When You don’t make things here
The way that we want
Because here is not the purpose
Or the goal
Our unrequited requests and desires
Refuse to make us whole
And instead point our eyes towards home
A home where all our troubles
Will be washed away
Our tears forgotten
No more dreams tattered and frayed
But all of our hopes finally realized
And our joy completed
On that fateful day
Does Christlike to you mean perfect?
Does it mean proud for all you give
Is it a list of your accomplishments?
Just another boast for how you’ve lived?
Or does it mean humble?
Does it mean sick and dependent on His grace?
Is it awareness of your weakened condition?
And finding peace in His embrace?
My sin has caused me to stumble
My failure causes much pain
But Your loving grace and discipline
Puts to death my own thinking and ways
Each season I rush to reach the end
Of the lesson at hand on my own
Instead of trusting the timing
In Your omniscient Hand is known
“If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts. My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate who pleads our case before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who is truly righteous. He himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sins-and not only our sins but the sins of all the world.”
1 John 1:10- 2:2
Not near the rose pedals
Or lavished with ease
But fighting with the devil
And down on your knees
Trust Him, Trust Him
In bitter tears and strife
His peace He’ll give
As you surrender your life
I am the daughter of a King
Richly blessed, redeemed
I am a warrior, clothed in grace
Equipped and strengthened for this very place
My rags are removed, washed in His blood
Replaced with a crown sealed with His love
“Come now, let us settle the matter,” says the LORD. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.” Isaiah 1:18
Photo credit: https://www.artstation.com/irinaplachkova
Living in mansions of gold
May have turned my heart to stone
Traveling a carefree road
May have left my need for You unknown
Instead many troubles were designed
Further deepening my search for You
Delivered at specific times
For reasons only Heaven knew
“But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
2 Corinthians 12:9-10
If God leaves you in a place you don’t like, you can either stay miserable or find ways to experience peace and joy in the midst of it. And where is our only source of eternal joy that rises above our circumstances? In Him alone.
My earthly mind says
Make it all the way I want
Just do as I please
Don’t inconvenience or burden me
But His heart says
I’ll cause you discomfort
Uncertainty and unease
Until You place all your trust in Me
I don’t need fame or busy-ness
I don’t need success
Just a roof over my head
And Your rest
I don’t need recognition
Or constant activity
I don’t need to be seen
Just Your Spirit
Surrounding and indwelling me
I don’t need to join the crowd
Or make everyone hear my voice
I just need Your promises
Your truths not muted
By the competing noise
Peace like a river invades
When You get me alone
Seeking no one and nothing else
In Your presence, I am home.
Re-posting from a prior New Year’s…
Caleb (one of my 3 sons) dropped a wooden block on his pinky toe tonight. From experience, I know dropping anything on your pinky toe can be a painful experience. But, boy oh boy, did he throw out an over-reacting crazy cry drama display (yes, I believe that is the proper technical term) for all the world to hear. I put an ice pack on his toe, gave him lots of TLC and he eventually settled down. An hour or so later, he came back to me and said “Mom! My toe has been NOT hurting SO much that I forgot I had hurt it until I just felt it again and remembered.” I reassured him (as a toddler who has a hard time understanding that not every bruise and scrape is permanent) that the moments of absent pain are evidence that his “owie” is healing and soon enough the pain will be gone completely (until the next wooden block, playground slide or bike ride, of course).
In the midst of our conversation, I felt reminded that this applies to emotional pain as well. Often times, like my precious baby, we wonder if the pain we feel will ever go away and healing seems like an impossible task. Thankfully, we have a Heavenly Father just as interested in giving us an ice pack, wisdom and TLC as we are for our own children. And eventually the sting of pain subsides or maybe even shifts to a dull ache. And although total healing may take a long time and may not leave us the same as it found us, we should let these moments of “NOT feeling the pain SO much” remind us that healing is occurring. I wish everyone a wonderful New Year full of gratitude, strength, joy and healing.
“The Lord does not cause pain without allowing something new to be born” (Isaiah 66:9, paraphrased in 20 Lessons Learned by Debbie Stuart.
He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. ( Psalm 147:3)
For I will restore health to you, and your wounds I will heal, declares the Lord. (Jeremiah 30:17)
You’re here with me today
Refreshing and guiding
Reassuring and confiding
Plans You have for me
You’re here with me today
Tangible and not hiding
Whispering and providing
Strength I hadn’t seen
You’re here with me today
Don’t take Your presence away
Stay with me always.
Christian Poetry, Thoughts & Analogies 