Frustration and God’s child

"...forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." - Philippians 3:13,14

Frustration is no stranger to the child of God. Believers live in a world of broken pieces, and buses that are late, and budgets which will not balance, just the same as the man who is an atheist. Let’s go back to the source of much of our frustration–goals that are not reached, accomplishments that are not realized, and expectations that are not met.

For the believer, goals and objectives should rest upon the will of God, what he believes God wants him to accomplish. Bringing your goals and objectives in line with the will of God can eliminate much of your frustration.

Guideline #1. Reassess your goals. It may be that you are trying to do something that God does not want you to do, and your frustration is the result of fighting against His gentle hand that stops you. Do not expect God to block everything you try to do that is wrong. Natural laws that are violated usually result in natural consequences. Prayer won’t eliminate a hangover or an unwanted pregnancy. Sometimes our goals are wrong. Frustration should be a red flag that says, "Whoa! I need to reassess where I am headed."

Guideline #2. Remove the source of your frustration if you can. You might have an old car that keeps breaking down which makes you keep thinking, "This time we will have it fixed." Eventually there is a breaking point, and it might be you instead of your car. The problem with this guideline is that it seldom works with people. You cannot trade in your brother-in-law for a new model, so there has to be another alternative.

Guideline #3. Realize God is sovereign. We need God’s grace to accept what we cannot change. If you are God’s child you must realize that He has the means of overriding your puny ambitions and giving you the grace to cope with frustration. If we could see life from God‘s perspective, how different things would be. In Ephesians 1:11 Paul says God "works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will." Either you believe that and find peace, or you struggle with frustration.

Guideline #4. Bring your frustration to the Lord and lay it at His feet. On his second missionary journey, Paul and Silas sought to go east into Bithynia that would have taken them into what we know as Russia today. But Luke reported, "the Spirit of Jesus" would not allow them to go. Door closed! The result: frustration. In the night Paul had a vision, and God redirected them to Greece. Your frustration may be the result of having goals which are at cross purposes with His, and when that happens the only thing to do is to bring your frustration to Him and ask for His direction.

Guideline #5. Overcome your frustration by praising and trusting God in the midst of a trial or difficulty. There can be a triumph that breaks through frustration. Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 2:14, "But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ..." This is why Paul and Silas could sing in prison with their backs bleeding from the beating the had received. It was why John could rejoice from prison and see the vision of heaven’s glory. With spiritual vision we see beyond the frustration that whips so many. It is the ultimate solution. - Resource reading: Philippians 3:12-21

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Guidelines for Finding Your Way is available in bookstores nationwide. For more information, write to Guidelines Philippines, Box 4000, 1284 Makati City or e-mail [email protected]. Visit our website www.guidelines.org.