The Test of Faith

I have often heard pastors and others look at someone going 

through a trial and say, "His faith is being tested."  It suddenly occurred 

to me that perhaps our faith is being tested in how we respond.

Her eyes have seen many miles,

Her lips have spoken wisdom,

With decades of marriage behind her,

 And children far away,

Alone she lives upon a hill,

While illness slowly claims her love,

Visiting him when she is taken,

As time slowly ticks away.

His eyes have seen bloodshed,

In defense of his nation’s pride,

He traveled overseas,

As there was conflict to be,

And over fallen friends he cried,

While at home the picture changing,

Financial patterns rearranging,

His own home no longer to see.

In a young woman’s eyes lived laughter,

In this young woman’s eyes lived joy,

Until the day turned the page,

An old enemy of health reappeared,

Taking her rest away,

Taking away all of her peace,

Not able to put her battle to words,

Her eyes speaking volumes of fear.

I have been told such are trials,

With pastors speaking of the tests of faith,

I would wonder why they are being tested,

With conflicts and pain like I never knew,

Some with friends and family of support,

Others sitting alone in the darkness,

I realized those witnessing the trials are tested,

All of us who see and hear are being tried,

With those we do or do not know,

Be it a stranger leaving a store to go,

Alone with tears in the eyes,

Leaving us each a faith question I ask you,

If your faith is strong,

What will you do?