God,
It's so hard to pray to you
when I'm in pain,
worried...
or feeling like trouble
won't set me free.

It's so difficult to remember
how much you love me
when harsh words
reach my ears,
and people I meet
seem cold and unkind.

And as I deal with daily life,
caught up in stress,
and frustrated with
the task at hand,
thoughts of you often escape me,
and I forget that I have
a unique purpose here.

But, I realize, God,
that these are exactly the times
when I need you the most--
the times when I should
seek your love and guidance.