The Ache

I wrote this poem a few weeks ago as I was praying for a friend who is going through a really hard time right now. I was reminded of it today as I listened to someone I love crying on the other side of the phone...
 

This world holds so much pain
Broken bodies, minds, and souls
We are helpless to overcome it
God, please come and make us whole.

Yet too often, you don't fix it
We remain in this awful, twisted mess
It feels like you've forgotten
No turning offers rest

We sing and cry and beg
We hear promises and prayers
We try to believe and trust You
But it feels like no one cares

All the 'answers' feel more painful
Maybe better to be alone
So we ache and groan in silence
We feel a bit like stone

What if we crack or break?
This pressure must release
Yet we must stay strong for others
We pretend that we've found peace

Yet inside we are still screaming
What do we do when here?
The crack feels like it's spreading
And will soon expose our fear

We are crying for deliverance
We need rescued from this pain
But what if you don't answer
When we're begging you for rain?

It is here that I have found
I must walk into all the grief
I must wrestle with my Maker
When He does not give relief

So I sit here in the quiet
The deepest parts of who I am
And I wait for You to meet me
When I cannot see Your hand

Then finally, You come
And You whisper to my soul
My child, I'm right here with you
And I will make all things whole

I know it's dark and senseless
In the world in which you are
But I am beyond all time and space
I'm here, though I feel far

I'm holding things together
Including your broken heart
You don't have to be strong for anyone
Just be exactly who you are

I'm bigger than this moment
I can see beyond this night
I am sitting here beside you
Now let me hold you tight

I won't ever, ever leave you
No matter how dark or hard
I'll hold you and I'll keep you
No matter where you are

So run into the pain my child
I won't let you be destroyed
I will remake all that's broken
One day you will know joy

But in the meantime you need comfort
My answer is your test
Instead come to Me in questions
And let my Presence bring you rest

So we sit here with this answer
The one that we don't like
Oh why won't He just fix it now
We'd rather run than fight

Yet I realize in the silence
That just a moment of His voice
Brings hope back to my weary soul
I really have no choice

In the midst of all my questions
Though I wrestle and I break
Only the One who made me
Can meet me in this ache