ONE DAY AT A TIME

One day at a time,

with its failures and fears,

With its hurts and mistakes,

with its weakness and tears,

With its portion of pain

and its burden of care,

One day at a time we must

meet and must bear.

One day at a time to be

patient and strong;

To be calm under trial and

sweet under wrong;

Then its toiling shall pass

and its sorrow shall cease,

It shall darken and die,

and the night shall

bring peace.

One day at a time —

but the day is so long,

And the heart is not brave,

and the soul is not strong,

O Thou pitiful Christ,

be Thou near all the way,

Give courage and patience

and strength for the day.

Swift cometh His answer,

so clear and so sweet;

“Yea, I will be with thee;

thy troubles to meet;

I will not forget thee,

nor fail thee, nor grieve;

I will not forsake thee;

I never will leave.”

Not yesterday’s load we

are called on to bear,

Nor the morrow’s uncertain

and shadowy care;

Why should we look forward

or back with dismay?

Our needs, as our mercies,

are but for the day.

One day at a time,

and the day is His day;

He hath numbered its hours,

though they haste or delay.

His grace is sufficient,

we walk not alone,

As the day, so the strength

that He giveth His own.

ANNIE JOHNSON FLINT