Help Me Understand

I do not understand
Why kindness is greeted with distrust,
And genuine friendliness
Is twisted into deceit.
If we are to answer wrath
By refusing to shout back in anger,
Then should we not
Show kindness for kindness,
And greet all we meet with a smile?

Joy

Joy isn't always wrapped in ecstasy. Sometimes it is the tear-stained contentment that comes after a dark stormy night. I begin to realize that despite the current sorrow, tomorrow eventually dawns and the Father of my soul will use today's darkness to bring to fruition a greater good. It is the clam I am finding as I learn to trust that while I may not see the direct cause and effect of what I am currently experiencing, there is a bigger picture, and the end will be brighter than today.