A World of Hurt
This world is an awful and confusing place I’ll never understand all the why’s and how’s Or what if’s and what now’s So many heart breaks and “too late”s Beautiful people taken too young And bitter hearts who never learn to move on Sometimes this pain makes me sick to my stomach It burns, chokes, and gags me, and I’ll never manage to swallow it. The tears that sting and words that ring In my ears as never being said when they should have. Sometimes I wonder if God made our hearts To break apart and shatter Just to scatter With all those we’ve loved and lost. If it’s His way of reminding us how precious we are And how we were never created to call this place our home. All the dreams lost and let go Drifting away as the wind blows So fragile and elusive, In a life too rigid and intrusive, We die before we learn how to live. How many of us experience joy, peace, or grace, Or do anything but hurry as we dash through our race? Do we let God teach us? Grow, challenge, or even reach us? Do we see His hands in this foggy abyss? Or stare blankly as this life drifts off with a wisp? Do we know there is hope? And actually believe it? Do we reach up, grasp it, and let our hearts receive it? Sometimes we need to be reminded To open our eyes and take in the beauty that’s around us. But it’s there. I promise. It’s always there. So in this world of hurt May your eyes avert And meet with the One Who gives healing. |
Meaning Behind the Poem
Life has been really heavy recently. As a result, I've had a lot of questions on my mind and heart... questions for God. I wish that I could say that I never have moments of doubt in my faith, but, honestly, I don't think doubt is all bad. See, it's not about whether or not we doubt sometimes. It's about what we do with that doubt. Something I have noticed recently is that, even in the midst of my confusion, frustration, pain, and exhaustion, I can't help but notice God's workings. No, I still don't understand what He is doing, but I know He is active and in control. And no, that doesn't always make things easier, but it makes them endurable. When I choose to shift my perspective, lift my eyes to my Maker, and take on an attitude and mindset of joy, everything suddenly looks different. All fear is removed. All darkness, despair, and desperation is shattered. And I realize heaven is more near to me than it seems. In an instant, my fear of the unknown and my confusion about current circumstances is replaced by excitement to see what the Lord is going to do with this piece of my life. As my heart felt heavy last night, these words came to my mind... all except the last 7 lines. Tonight, as I let myself rest in silence in the presence of my God, the last 7 lines took shape. So, my purpose for this poem is that it may remind anyone who reads it of the cosmic shift that takes place when we allow Christ's joy to rule our lives. If you don't know Him, please, let me introduce you. Your life won't suddenly become easy, but it will become beautiful. |
Life is for the Living
There’s a time and a season for everything under the sun…
We trade our acne for wrinkles
Our muscles for jiggles
Our spunk and spontaneity for fatigue and routine.
There’s a way to this world
None of us can evade
No one is exempt.
With time, we all fade.
As a waterfall cascades
And the sun sets each day
To everything there is a rhythm
We end where we begin
It’s a constant race against the clock
But time will always win.
So here’s the point
What I want no one to miss
The fact of the matter is this…
Every day, every hour, every second that goes by
Is that much time closer to when you die.
So don’t waste it.
Don’t sit on your bum
Just to exercise your thumbs
On a phone or tablet or a game.
Get your eyes off the screen
When you’re sitting next to me
And try having a real conversation.
Make it a point to try new things
Dance in the moonlight
And ask how the neighbors are doing
Look up at the stars at night
And marvel in wonder like a child
Go for a jog
Eat more simply
And smile as you go about your way
Cry when it’s needed
Hug when a heart’s bleeding
And laugh more than anything else
Be brave, be strong
And fight for the truth
Help those weaker than you
If there’s something you don’t like,
Don’t complain. Go change it.
Leave the earth a better place
Just by the way that you walk it.
When life throws the punches and you want to give up
Dig your heals in, lift your chin, and show just what you’re capable of.
Use the tough times, when things feel all wrong
To fight even harder and become much more strong.
Live a life worth living
Fully engaged, fully alive
Get out of bed in the morning thinking,
“This will be my best day yet!”
And hit the pillow at night
Knowing you did today right.
When the end comes
And this life lets you go
May you have lived it well.
Instead of a funeral
May there be a celebration
Because you ran your race to completion.
(July 31, 2015)
There’s a time and a season for everything under the sun…
We trade our acne for wrinkles
Our muscles for jiggles
Our spunk and spontaneity for fatigue and routine.
There’s a way to this world
None of us can evade
No one is exempt.
With time, we all fade.
As a waterfall cascades
And the sun sets each day
To everything there is a rhythm
We end where we begin
It’s a constant race against the clock
But time will always win.
So here’s the point
What I want no one to miss
The fact of the matter is this…
Every day, every hour, every second that goes by
Is that much time closer to when you die.
So don’t waste it.
Don’t sit on your bum
Just to exercise your thumbs
On a phone or tablet or a game.
Get your eyes off the screen
When you’re sitting next to me
And try having a real conversation.
Make it a point to try new things
Dance in the moonlight
And ask how the neighbors are doing
Look up at the stars at night
And marvel in wonder like a child
Go for a jog
Eat more simply
And smile as you go about your way
Cry when it’s needed
Hug when a heart’s bleeding
And laugh more than anything else
Be brave, be strong
And fight for the truth
Help those weaker than you
If there’s something you don’t like,
Don’t complain. Go change it.
Leave the earth a better place
Just by the way that you walk it.
When life throws the punches and you want to give up
Dig your heals in, lift your chin, and show just what you’re capable of.
Use the tough times, when things feel all wrong
To fight even harder and become much more strong.
Live a life worth living
Fully engaged, fully alive
Get out of bed in the morning thinking,
“This will be my best day yet!”
And hit the pillow at night
Knowing you did today right.
When the end comes
And this life lets you go
May you have lived it well.
Instead of a funeral
May there be a celebration
Because you ran your race to completion.
(July 31, 2015)
Upward View
Familiarity is lost
Separation is sought
In all things new and unknown
God’s beauty is being shown.
Can’t wrap my mind around
The Joy that I have found
In a world so far away
With the passing of each day
His faithfulness is new
And my days are few
In comparison to
The drops in the amber sea
And His ever-present glory.
Yet His love is grand
So He takes my hand
And walks this road
And bears my load
All to help me see
That He is making me
A better version
Of the best I can be.
A simple task
For a God so vast.
Now that I
Turned my eyes to the sky.
Familiarity is lost
Separation is sought
In all things new and unknown
God’s beauty is being shown.
Can’t wrap my mind around
The Joy that I have found
In a world so far away
With the passing of each day
His faithfulness is new
And my days are few
In comparison to
The drops in the amber sea
And His ever-present glory.
Yet His love is grand
So He takes my hand
And walks this road
And bears my load
All to help me see
That He is making me
A better version
Of the best I can be.
A simple task
For a God so vast.
Now that I
Turned my eyes to the sky.
Be My Source
Light up my mind As I seek Your face, draw me in, Renew my strength and adjust my attitude, Shine Your light into my life that I may see Your Brightness through the ever-present dark. Lift my spirit and hold my heart That I may feel Your strength throughout this day. Be my source of all good things. Help me walk in Your stride. I start today by Your side... Help me there to always stay. |
All poetry on this site by Katie Beerbower is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.