The Road I Tread Poem by Jack Smith

I am just another human, you know
I still have my struggles, I still stumble at times
Who told you that I was perfect?
The road that I tread is long and hard
It's scars me and it breaks me
sometimes I just want to give up, you see
but the Grace that found me, finds me again
gives me hope when all hope is lost
why me? I have asked the question several times
more often than not, silence is all the reply I get
but out of the stillness, come His promises
that become the arms that I need to hold me
that become the lips that say they love me
that become the eyes that shed their tears for me
why don't you walk in my shoes for a day?
maybe then I can have someone to relate to;
why do I always want to lose?
is it worthy to give, give and give away?
I wish you could look through my eyes once
why do people judge without knowing?
can they see the mountains I have climbed?
or the tides that I have swum against?
it's tough you see, when you try to explain
sometimes you just have to let go;
for you can never try enough to be understood
the burdens are heavy, you know
but it is them that spur me onto the skies
don't you wonder why there is pain in joy?
don't we all shed tears in laughter?
the path the Lord takes us through is wondrous, you see
He puts a stumbling block here and leaves a ray of hope there
He rains manna in the desert, He leaves us starving in palaces
He is awesome and mysterious, you know
that is the reason why I seek to serve Him
the load He gives us is never too hard, you see
it's just that we wander from the flock, being misled
we all have our fears, don't we?
the ones that we dream about and dread coming true
you know what? why do we still hold onto them?
has not the old passed away? is it not a new day today?
it's time to cast all our fears away, you know
for where can hope come in, if we are still stuck at yesterday?
where can grace begin to flow when we choose live in the days past?
let's hope as if we have never hoped before,
let's begin to love as if we have never been hurt before,
let's pursue grace like grace has never met us before
for without fear, we can be who we were meant to be;
fear can change you, you see; make you someone you are not
I have been there, experienced that and seen it, you know
let mercy begin her work of grace, let grace begin her work of love
let love begin her work of healing, let healing set our souls free of fear
the world and all that we see in it, does not want this you see
it wants to be in the dark, to be in the shadows,
lest it's deeds be known and brought to light
but we don't have to live the world's way, do we?
for if we do so, we don't need enemies, you see
we become one to us ourselves; it is then the
man in the mirror becomes distorted and disillusioned
haven't we all lived our share of the world?
when it was all get, get and more, more?
and just when we thought the thing we wanted the most,
just when you attain the thing you thought will fill you,
didn't we crash and burn when the ultimate failed to deliver?
can you still remember the emptiness left inside,
when the one great thing that promised us everything let us down?
It all comes down to love, you see
the love that loves us even when we are unlovable
the love that springs forth from heavenly courts and flows into our hearts
the best thing that can happen to us is
is not being rich and satisfied, is not being fed and content
but rather, it is to be at the receiving end
of a love that's pure, that warms our spirit and heals our soul
for such a love is a raging fire, you see
it consumes the ugly bringing forth beauty,
it takes away the crude, rising up elegance
it refines the dirt and purifies what lies within
and when you come out of the fire, behold
you reflect the Master's countenance itself
I am just another human, you see
trying to live upto the Truth I believe and proclaim,
I still stumble and fumble, but interestingly
I never fall down, for I realize that
I have been flying on a mighty eagle's wings
that guide me and uphold me in the midst of life's storms