Poems (Kimball)/Discouragement

by Harriet McEwen Kimball

DISCOURAGEMENT.

LORD, when I strive to serve Thee most,
    Yet toil in vain;
When I can see but labor lost,
    Instead of gain;

When plans fall out another way
    From what seems best,
And failure comes though I obey
    Thy clear behest;

When hopes whereon I dare to lean
    Thou dost deny;
When Thou forbiddest me to glean
    The fields hard by;

When fairest prospects opening wide
    Before mine eyes,
Thou wallest in on every side,
    And mountains rise

That faith seems powerless to remove,—
    Then, dearest Lord,
Draw near to me, draw near and prove
    Thy written Word!

That Thou in all things dost ordain
    Thy children's good;
That joy shall be the fruit of pain
    When understood,

I know, and yet (O slow of heart!)
    But half believe;
And when I fail in secret smart,
    And fret, and grieve.

Fill me with faith's divine content
    In Thee, O Lord,
And make me willing to be spent
    Without reward!

Yea, Lord, without one smallest gain,
    Though sought alone
For others' good, by toil and pain,
    Not for mine own.

And when my failures cast me down,
    Make me to rest,
Not in the thought of any crown,
    But on Thy breast.

The weary sea-bird goes to sleep
    On tossing waves,
Untroubled by the storm, the deep,
    In trust that saves.

It is the hollow of Thy hand
    That shapes its nest;
So, though I may not understand,
    Make me to rest.