I’m trying hard to listen
Oh Lord to hear Thy voice,
For sore my heart is breaking
And cannot now rejoice. 

For dark the clouds have gathered
The storms around me blow,
I’m stumbling and I’m falling
And know not where to go.

It is a strange admixture
Of sorrow in my soul,
My eyes are red with weeping
And muffled bells now toll. 

My path is so confusing
I know not where to turn,
My sleep it has fled from me
And griefs within me burn. 

Thy word is silent to me
It seems to mock me sore,
It’s pledges non-fulfilling
To mend a heart that tore. 

Why is my God not near me?
No arms around me thrown,
But sorrows, griefs and burdens
Across my life are blown. 

I’m trying Lord to listen
But with a heart awhirl,
No peace, no solace in it
A mind that’s in a swirl.

Oh, Lord please help me, still me,
Let me thy presence feel,
Thy comfort stillness fill me
Thy calmness o’re me steal. 

To rest in thee consoling
A child upon Thy breast,
To know the love of Father
Who always gives what’s best. 

To know that peaceful stillness
Tranquility within,
To rest on Thee beloved
Forgiven from all sin. 

Oh, let me be like Samuel
Who in the quiet hour,
He heard the great Almighty
Whose word was spoken with power. 

For then there is no doubting
Of that which God has said,
I hear thy voice Beloved
And peace then rules instead. 

For gone is all confusion
And gone is all the fear,
For resting on my Saviour
I’ve nothing now to fear. 

So now I turn to bless thee
My God, for Thou art kind,
With stammering lips I’ll whisper
Oh God, I now am Thine. 

Rowan Jennings
24th Nov. 2002