Joy in the Trials
Poem
You said do not be surprised,
They are a part of life,
These fiery trials
That cut like a knife.
Our wounds bleed,
Tears easily flow,
How hard joy is
After a blow.
You said in this world we'll suffer;
So many hurting and in pain.
We long for the new heavens,
And know to die is gain.
The earth is passing away,
Rain falls on the just and unjust.
We are not exempt,
All will return to dust.
I think that I know
How things should be,
But it's You that knows
The things I can't see.
Of what I don't need,
Help me to let go.
Of what You plan,
Help me trust Your "no."
To count it all joy,
Counterintuitive to do,
But I'd never know how to deal
If I didn't have You.
I deserve none of the grace
You have shown me,
Yet blessings shower down
And even in chains I am free.
When I am tired,
You give me rest.
You renew my strength
To endure the test.
The enemy tried to sow his seed,
But he picked the wrong field.
You, Lord, use it all for good;
Now, there is more fruit to yield.
Whether in a storm or valley,
You calm my fear,
For I know You walk with me,
And are always near.
Though we don't have all the answers,
And don't always understand,
Thank You that You never let go,
Leading with Your loving hand.
Though we don't have all the answers,
And don't always understand,
Thank You that You never let go,
Leading with Your loving hand.
Crystal Alvarez
Crystal Alvarez loves to write. One day she wished she had poems about and for God. To express who He is, gratitude, the ups and downs in our Christian walk, and share God’s love with the world. After that, God gave her ideas and words for several poems.
2024: Nehemiah
Persevere
On the precipice
Of an abyss,
A dark snake
Likes to hiss.
You walk away,
Toward the light,
But the sly one
Puts up a fight.
Solomon warned against
Foxes that ruin vineyards.
To little things remain alert;
The wise their mind guards.
Samson used 300 foxes
To set fields ablaze,
But even one can obscure
Our perception of Your ways.
When I let a fox dismantle,
Bring to rubble what You’ve made,
I listen to the enemy,
And let Your promises fade.
Truth can break the lies,
Don’t let that fox in.
He came to steal and destroy,
But we can rebuild and win.
The enemy tries,
He preys on our fear,
Distracting us with lies,
But the Spirit is here.
When they threatened his life,
Nehemiah kept building.
Despite enemy taunts,
Their efforts unyielding…
They built the whole wall
By preparing and praying!
Your Word now is future
Firm foundation laying.
Put on God’s armor
As we face opposition.
Prayed up, God fights for us,
And the Word’s our ammunition.
The accuser may come,
But our Comforter knows
How to remind us and reply
“It is written” to those.
Endure to the end,
Abide in the Vine;
You’ll bear much fruit
And God’s hand will shine.
Description
Remember the serpent in the garden who lied to Adam and Eve. Did God really say…? How often do we listen to lies like that? Sometimes the enemy attacks and you know it. Other times you may not recognize it. The Bible says Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. What may not be as obvious are the foxes, the little things. Seemingly innocent or more subtle, but with the potential to cause great damage. The Bible says our war is not against flesh and blood but against the principalities and powers of darkness. It also says to put on the armor of God and take every thought captive. My poem is about spiritual warfare, which can happen even in your mind. Like Nehemiah, we must persevere through prayer and preparation. Greater is He who is in us than He who is in the world. The enemy we fight against is the power of darkness, but our God is the light of the world.