The Seasons Of The Soul

THE SEASONS OF
THE SOUL

by HELEN STEINER RICE



WHY AM I CAST DOWN
AND DESPONDENTLY SAD
WHEN I LONG TO BE HAPPY
AND JOYOUS AND GLAD?
WHY IS MY HEART HEAVY
WITH UNFATHOMABLE WEIGHT
AS I TRY TO ESCAPE
THIS SOUL-SADDENED STATE?
I ASK MYSELF OFTEN-
"WHAT MAKES LIFE THIS WAY,
WHY IS THE SONG SILENCED
IN THE HEART THAT WAS GAY?"
AND THEN WITH GODS HELP
IT ALL BECOMES CLEAR,
THE SOUL HAS ITS SEASONS
JUST THE SAME AS THE YEAR-
I, TOO, MUST PASS THROUGH
LIFE'S AUTUMN OF DYING,
A DESOLATE PERIOD
OF "HEART-HURT" AND CRYING,
FOLLOWED BY WINTER
IN WHOSE FROSTBITTEN HAND
MY HEART IS FROZEN
AS THE SNOW-COVERED LAND-
YES, MAN, TOO, MUST PASS
THROUGH THE SEASONS GOD SENDS,
CONTENT IN THE KNOWLEDGE
THAT EVERYTHING ENDS,
AND, OH, WHAT A BLESSING
TO KNOW THERE ARE REASONS
AND TO FIND THAT OUR SOUL
MUST, TOO, HAVE ITS SEASONS-
BOUNTEOUS SEASONS
AND BARREN ONES, TOO,
TIMES FOR REJOICING
AND TIMES TO BE BLUE,
BUT MEETING THESE SEASONS
OF DARK DESOLATION
WITH STRENGTH THAT IS BORN
OF ANTICIPATION
THAT COMES FROM KNOWING
THAT "AUTUMN-TIME SADNESS"
WILL SURELY BE FOLLOWED
BY A "SPRINGTIME OF GLADNESS."









LIGHT SHINES ON THE GODLY,
AND JOY ON THOSE WHO DO RIGHT.



PSALM 97:11
NLT



THE UNFOLDING OF YOUR WORDS GIVES LIGHT;
IT IMPARTS UNDERSTANDING TO THE SIMPLE.



PSALM 119:130
NRSV



YOUR WORDS ARE A FLASHLIGHT TO
LIGHT THE PATH AHEAD OF ME,
AND KEEP ME FROM STUMBLING.



PSALM 119:105
TLB



LIGHT ARISES IN THE DARKNESS
FOR THE UPRIGHT; HE IS GRACIOUS AND
COMPASSIONATE AND RIGHTEOUS.



PSALM 112:4
NAS



BUT I WILL SING OF YOUR MIGHT;
I WILL SING ALOUD OF YOUR
STEADFAST LOVE IN THE MORNING.
FOR YOU HAVE BEEN A FORTRESS FOR ME
AND A REFUGE IN THE DAY OF MY DISTRESS.



PSALM 59:16
NRSV



GOD IS OUR REFUGE AND STRENGTH,
AN EVER-PRESENT HELP IN TIMES OF TROUBLE.



PSALM 46:1
GOD'S WORD



IN MY DISTRESS, I SAID,
"GOD CANNOT SEE ME!"
BUT YOU HEARD MY PRAYER WHEN
I CRIED OUT TO YOU FOR HELP.



PSALM 31:22
NCV



I CALLED ON THE LORD IN DISTRESS;
THE LORD ANSWERED ME AND SET ME IN
A BROAD PLACE.



PSALM 118:5
NKJV



BE THOU TO ME A ROCK OF
HABITATION, TO WHICH I MAY CONTINUALLY COME;
THOU HAST GIVEN COMMANDMENT TO SAVE ME,
FOR THOU ART MY ROCK AND MY FORTRESS.



PSALM 71:3
NAS