Safe in His Hands

I have no illusions that I’m a poet, but sometimes I long for a way to express myself that goes beyond mere words in a sentence. I lay in bed one night last month, and as I fought worry over a certain matter, I had this picture of a clenched hand trying to hold on to the people I care about deeply and knowing at the same time that I can’t. So came the first two lines of this poem. I sat down on the couch the next morning and just wanted to complete my thoughts. 

It is very imperfect; I completely changed the rhyming pattern after the first verse and I paid absolutely no attention to the syllable count for each line. However, I am sharing it for two reasons… One, when I showed it to my husband later in the day, he said, “That should be your next post for the Cup of Grace blog.” (Thanks, Kelly.) And two, this is an example of how I fight for truth in my mind.  God calls us to “be transformed by the renewal of our minds” (Romans 12:2) which means that we must fight for truth in our thoughts. This was my fight on the morning of December 17.

My hands cling so tightly to the things that I hold dear,

And when I feel I can’t hold on, then I begin to fear.

Yet the perception of holding on was an illusion all along,

For believing I can control our lives and keep us safe is wrong.

I can’t ensure that we stay healthy.

I can’t guarantee a pain-free life.

I can’t dictate the future my kids will grow up in.

I can’t enable relationships with little strife.

So what do I do when I realize I can’t?

When my lack of control is clear,

When fears overwhelm and crowd my soul,

When anxious thoughts are all I hear?

I make room in my soul for Your still small voice

To cut through the noise and speak,

To bring truth to the thoughts swirling my mind

That leave me defeated, hopeless, and weak.

The truth that the future rests in Your hands,

That you are greater than every fear.

That nothing happens outside of your plan,

That in all things You’re in control, and You’re near.

So, Father, help me to choose faith over fear

As I walk throughout each day,

To fight the anxieties with your Word,

To entrust them to Your sovereignty as I pray.

For even as I realize I can’t hold onto a thing

To make sure that life runs the way that I’ve planned,

I trust that Your way is better than mine,

And that we’re all held safely in the grip of Your hand.

--Amy O’Rear