In the Midst

Even when we are confined
When we are grieving the loss of the ‘normal’ we know
When we feel our souls pacing hallways of grief, sadness and fear
When we find ourselves grateful while some are overcome by restlessness

Even when we are so isolated
When we discover loneliness in being alone
When we long for freedom outdoors
When we find ourselves missing the embrace of friendship
When we only want to escape from a home that feels nothing like it should

Even when we are fighting an invisible foe
When we resent and deny
When we claw with frustration at this unwanted reality
When we blame and point and stereotype
When we hope segregation in separation will encourage a cure

Even when we lose sight of grace.
He calls us deep into our core for us to rediscover our humanity
He whispers urgently of the need to grow kindness from the inside out
He yearns for hearts to be still and know that we are not God.
He leads us on an introspective journey like no other, inviting us into prayerful contemplation

Even when we rock the boat with fear and despair
He does not leave us there
He asks merely that we take his hand in the storm
He urges us to find his presence in the boat
He implores us to trust when not one of us is able to fully comprehend

Even when our faith is shaking
He treats our anger with persistent patience
He cures our frustration as we allow Him to help us place others before ourselves
He feels our loss and calls for us to imagine and embrace a new future, a new society, a new world
He holds us in our discomfort in times of change and offers his Peace

And when we accept these gifts of Peace and Grace and have Faith
He shines through our weaknesses
A beacon of light and hope shattering the despair and darkness of our times
A child of God that loves the other, loves the outcast, loves the broken, loves the sick
A faith warrior that is activated and alive
Perhaps just by a glimpse of the radical sacrifice love of a servant king
The one who calls us to love with the same audacity in the midst of the anguish of today

By Jenna Gilmour