Day of Darkness (4)

The joy of the Lord,

must alone be my strength.

The joy of the Lord -

uncontrollable,

undeniable,

inconceivable,

overwhelming,

never-ending,

undefinable -

must be my strength.

In pain and in hurt,

in loss and in sorrow,

in sickness and disease,

in suffering and emptiness,

in hopelessness and despair,

the joy of the Lord,

must be my strength.

When the world fails me,

when people let me down,

when sickness tears me apart,

when grief consumes my heart,

when my mind cannot be still,

when darkness closes in,

the joy of the Lord,

must be my strength.

Though I see no light,

though I feel no hope,

though I experience no healing,

though I sense no freedom,

the joy of the Lord,

must be my strength.

When I cannot sink any lower,

the joy of the Lord,

must be my strength.

Amen.