Streams of Comfort

This poem is about forgiveness. In Matthew 6:14-15 Jesus instructs us to forgive one another. As God has forgiven all of our transgressions. I think sometimes it can be difficult to forgive because our hurt, emotions, and grievances are very real. True forgiveness is something that starts in the heart and then is manifested through action when ready. I used to think that forgiveness required me to immediately speak it out, but I soon found that telling someone I forgave them doesn’t mean I truly had. Sometimes we need to sit in silence with the Lord, our thoughts, and emotions a bit before we can truly forgive. It can take time and that’s ok, as long as we have a heart posture open to forgiveness. I hope you are encouraged as you read this poem to make space for intentional silence, your true emotions, and clear perspective, whenever you take the journey through the many twists and turns of forgiveness.

Please forgive me,
I know that my silence makes it hard to breathe,
But I am angry,
And it’s time I took some space,
To confirm that your breath doesn’t depend on me.
I’ve watched your chest expand and retract,
In fear that my words made it tighten,
And that your harsh words were actually gasps of air,
But while doing so I’ve been holding my own breath,
As anger burned as a small ember within me,
And in order to put it out,
I must no longer speak.
It may look like I’m running away,
But I’m running straight towards you.
Silence is simply the space,
I must cross before we meet again,
It’s where I can take the time needed,
To see the real you and me,
Without the noise that distorts my view.
If I were to speak now,
I would end up running off course.
It looks like God uses silence sometimes to still our hearts and minds,
And to give us sight where we were once blind.
So I pray that when I reach you,
I will be able to catch my breath,
With my own chest expanding and retracting by God’s Spirit.
And regardless of whether you have caught your own breath as well,
I will be able to speak in truth and kindness.