Gather Strength Tonight

Reflections

Gather Your Strength is a short poem about the power of faith and gratitude. It begins with the image of a captain steering his ship toward an approaching storm. The metaphor points to a difficult truth: Once we have experienced anxiety, depression, or other emotional turmoil, we live with the knowledge that our difficulties may return.

The storm is in sight, but not yet here. Darkness may return tomorrow / So gather strength tonight suggests inward preparation—resilience is built before the storm arrives.

The second stanza expands the metaphor. Faith and gratitude are described as ammunition stored as cargo in the soul. These lines frame spiritual growth as an opportunity to develop resources we can draw upon in times of challenge.

Next, the poem moves to a deeper idea: the battle can only be won / When you relinquish control. Fighting harder or seeking control is not always the path to victory when we face psychological or spiritual struggle. Letting go—trusting a Higher Power or the natural unfolding of events—may offer a better path forward.

The final stanza acknowledges how counterintuitive this wisdom can feel. Victory not achieved by your command challenges our instinct to manage, direct, and control outcomes. But if you’ve ever fought this battle / Then you will understand points to an inner knowing gained only through experience. The poem suggests that inner peace emerges not from control, but from acceptance and trust.

Ultimately, the poem invites us to pause, breathe, and gather our inner reserves before life’s next storm. Surviving the storm doesn’t come from mastering our challenges, but from releasing our need to master them.

Affirmation

I gather strength within me. Through faith, gratitude, and trust, I release my need for control and prepare my soul for whatever tomorrow brings.

Please watch the video for the poem "Gather Strength Tonight."