But may all who seek You

   rejoice and be glad in You;

may those who

               love Your salvation

say continually,

     "Great is the LORD."

                  Psalm 40.16

(Not just when everything seems

     to be going our way,

not as slapping a smiley face

     on the hard stuff of life,

not cheerfully pretending,

but knowing and

     grasping with both hands

the reality of who God is.

How differently

       would we see circumstances,

how differently would we respond,

what a new path we would take,

if we said continually,

             Great is the LORD?

My strength is not my own

                 but His in this.)

O LORD,

May we not just seek an exit

          to this difficulty,

or prescribe our great solutions

          to these problems,

or tell You, Almighty One,

          exactly what to do

                       and when.

But may we seek You.

May we dwell

             in Your strength

and know You are with us.

You are God.

       And You are greater still.

Help us to never forget that.

             Even in this.