Wrestling Through Doubt

I trust God, I really do
But if I’m honest, I’m doubting too
I don’t doubt His goodness, nor His love
Nor His faithful provision, sent from above
What I doubt is driven by my human condition
My expectation of how and when He’ll bless me for pursuing His mission
I’ve denied myself to follow His will and surrendering dreams
But my deepest desire is following Him, whatever that means
I cycle through standing firm and confident, eyes fixed on the prize
And spiraling through questions, rethinking the past, which I know isn’t wise
He promises in the end, it will exceed what I ask, think, or imagine
I’m sure when I get there, and the door is finally open
I’ll look back and wonder how I ever hoped for less
But here in the waiting, Lord, I have to confess
I’m tired of waiting
Tired of wondering “when?”
I know that I’m growing
My faith has greatly deepened
I know there’s purpose, You have a reason
But still I wonder, “Lord, how long is this season?”
I don’t want to rush it, but at the same time I do
I don’t want to waste it, because I know it’s filled with you
I know it’s truly a gift, time I’ll never get back
But sometimes it’s hard to believe in you there’s nothing I lack
It’s not that I doubt it, there’s just this gap
Between knowing and feeling, and I forget you’ve given me a map
A guide to understand what faith truly means
Confidence in what’s hoped for, and assurance of what’s unseen
You say, “my grace is sufficient,” I want that to be true
So how do I keep from cycling through?
Resting in the peace of your presence, your Word guiding me,
And wrestling with the longing for more—that which I can’t yet see?
But in that I realize I have quite the nerve
To demand blessing and dictate what I deserve
To expect your gift of grace to fit my desires
Instead of longing for yours, which are so much higher
I know you’re there, aching with me,
Whispering, “oh child, if you only knew how beautiful it will be”

(incomplete)

06.19.24

Clouds

I’m captivated by the billows of the clouds,
The seamless shifting from smooth to ruffled,
Never ending labyrinths etched by the wind.
Soaring above, I’m filled with wonder,
Entranced by the textures blanketing the sky,
Layered like paint, masking the world below.
Snow capped mountains peak through,
Sharp white ridges piercing the gradient puffs,
Thin patches of wisps reveal glimpses of creation,
Outlines of plains and waves blurred by the mist,
Millions of life giving particles suspended in air,
Forming each wisp, billow, and puff,
Until heaviness amounts and gravity prevails,
Drop by drop, crumbling into rain.
Lingering fragments, floating like cotton,
Pushed and pulled by invisible currents,
Simultaneously gathered and dissipated,
The drifting white and grey play a silent melody,
Amplifying the majesty of the Composer.

12.26.22

Resilience

It is a shield during trauma
The fight in fight or flight mode
The strength driving survival mode
When you don’t know how to keep going

It propels you forward
In search of stability amidst chaos
In search of hope and light
When darkness is overtaking

It is met with praise and admiration
“I don’t know how you’re doing it”
When you want to fall apart

It rationalizes unhealthy circumstances
Because “you keep bouncing back”
When nothing changes for the better

It overlooks the long term damage
Written in the depths of your heart and mind
Emerging when the trauma has passed

It is meant to be a temporary protection
But we stay longer than we should
It becomes our familiar, our known comfort

When is it ok to stop being resilient?
To let everything unravel.
To let the pieces fall apart.

Surely that doesn’t make you weak?
Surely resilience is not meant to be constant?
So then, when does the healing start?

7.8.21

Heart at War

My heart is at war with itself
It is full of gratitude for the God's blessings in my life
But there is a longing waiting to be filled

My heart is pulled in two directions
It is full of joy from time with loved ones
But there is an ache for a family of my own

My heart is learning to balance in contentment
It is lifted by the laughter with friends
But deflated by moments of loneliness

My heart is a beautiful contrast of emotion
It is full of love and joy in God's love
And met with peace and comfort when it aches

I find such joy in spending time with friends and families
I fight to stop those moments from being laced with ache and longing
But pressing in to that allows a deeper appreciation for it

12.12.21