Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Lessons I'm Learning

Sometimes things seem really hard.  I don't know what to do, or how to deal with what I'm going through.  I become so bogged down in all of the little things that it becomes difficult to see the big picture.  My little rain clouds are all I can see, and I can't seem to realize that all I have to do to banish them is look a little deeper.  The sun is always right behind them, just waiting to break through.

You'd think I would be able to remember this, but every night seems the darkest, every battle the hardest, and every storm the most fierce.  It seems like there could be no logical reason for me, or anyone, to have to go through these things.  There is always the guilt when I am sad, and I've come to see that it is because of the assumption that Christians should always be happy, that if you become depressed or frightened, then you can't be a "good" Christian.  This is completely untrue.  God didn't tell us when we came to Him that nothing would ever go wrong, that we would never feel pain, or that we would always be happy.  Instead, He told us "take up your cross".  A cross isn't something that is light or easy to carry.  It's heavy and it's bulky, and it can bring you to your knees.

One assurance that we do have is this: Jesus will always be there.  No matter what, we're never alone.  That's the amazing thing.

Through the darkest nights, He is always there.

In the hardest battles, He is right beside us.

During the fiercest storms, He holds us close.

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

The Battle

Original title?  I think not.  :P  I couldn't come up with anything better, actually.  But it's what it is, I suppose.  I'm not a very good poet, but I do enjoy trying.  :)


::~~::The Battle::~~::

The day does dawn with a blood-red sky,
A warning of things to come?
The sun, a brand that sears away the night,
And sheds light upon a Refuge of Stone.

The walls are high, the gates all barred,
Not a break in the defense to be found.
Our pounding hearts become the drums of war,
As the Enemy's trumpet sounds.

We wait with dread, as Doubt slips in,
Unnoticed by any and all.
His whispers reach every listening ear,
A crack snakes along the wall.

We watch in silence as the Enemy prepares,
What strength and might he holds!
His horde, unnumbered, vast and grim,
Sends Fear into the hearts of the bold.

Our nerves stretched thin; a quarrel begins,
It grows to encompass us all.
Unseen by the sentries, Enmity laughs,
As a fissure appears in the wall.

Distracted and weak, 'tis then that we see,
All the damage that has been wrought.
Despair then appears to deliver a blow,
Is the battle lost before it is fought?

The walls then begin to tremble and groan,
As Despair settles in for the night,
The weight of her darkness, her sorrow and gloom,
Seems too much to attempt to fight. 

Then comes a sound, a Song in the night,
The stars!  Suddenly we can see!
As Hope descends from the Heavens on high,
Bearing Courage upon her wings.

A warm, rushing wind flows in her wake,
Carrying Unity therein,
Enmity flees before his flashing sword,
The cracks begin to mend.

In gallops Faith upon a white horse,
None knows from whence she came.
Doubt takes to the road as quick as he can,
For he knows he has lost this game.

We listen and hear nothing but the wind,
We look, and what do we see?
Nothing and no one outside of our door,
For the Enemy had to flee.

The battle is won without a drop of blood spilt,
But there were lessons we all were taught.
For this battle was not one of physical strength,
'Tis Within that this battle is fought.

Courage, my brethren, stand strong and true,
Never once falter or fail.
For help is always there when you need it most,
And we will, in the end, prevail.


(C) 2012 Kalisia Silverwing