By crises, overwhelmed and bewildered,
Or by hope, inspired and anchored;

By unbelief, hopeless and discouraged,
Or by faith, assured and jubilant;

By impatience, murmuring and complaining,
Or by worship, praising and thanksgiving ;

By unforgiveness, degenerating and dying,
Or by love, conquering and living ;

By lies, deceived and bound,
Or by truth, enlightened and free;

By fear, paralysis and confusion,
Or by boldness, confidence and wise action;

By worry, unrest and fatigue,
Or by peace, tranquillity and strength ;

By carnal reason, envy and strife,
Or by divine wisdom, a peaceable fruit of righteousness;

By pride, a fall and destruction,
Or by humility, more grace and exaltation;

By rebellion, judgment and loss,
Or by obedience, transformation and reward.

By self-effort, vanity and futility,
Or by grace, power and provision;

Each a choice, each a way,
The difference is, one is you, the other is Christ in you.

By John L. Parault
January 1996