What remained was consumed by the desire for gain
Alone I sat among friends for many years thereafter
My heart felt hollow, and yet inexplicably hard
I looked on life with frustration and bitterness
The only sign of life I still felt inside was sadness
I faltered on paths that once seemed firm and sure
I might contend the paths were sure, yet surely I was not
What had anyone done to me? Little that I could see
In truth, my selfish desires were my own worst enemy
Pride of intellect and hidden lust mixed with laziness
A poisonous mix, leading to an empty, self-righteous image
A mix blinding present and future while tainting the past
This wilderness felt indomitable and exceedingly vast
Early attempts to share hardly scratched the surface
I misunderstood the power of trust; all I felt was despair
Nights uncounted, I asked myself if any hope remained
Even prayer seemed little help, for my heart was still chained
Again, I wondered if any embers stayed alive in the ashes
Could the flame of hope ever be reawoken in my life?
When it came I could not see, for I was blinded by pain
My heart still wrestled with the old desire for gain
Yet somewhere along the way, light had pierced the dark
Slowly, the darkness and blindness began to give way
Long maligned, trust--yes, trust--began to grow anew
This trust came slowly, yet inexorably it still grew
Old pride, impatience, and laziness could not withstand
Every step towards trust revived the lost embers of hope
This slow reforging of trust was no design of mine
Trust and its companion of hope were divine in design
Make no mistake, trust strikes like steel to make a spark
But hope rekindled is a flame sprung to life for all to see
Hope is a light which darkness cannot comprehend
Even if hope seems to fade or die, do not believe its the end
For those who trust in the Lord will renew their strength
In due time, He will restore your hope and revive your heart
