I wonder how often you feel frustrated? It’s so easy to be frustrated, particularly with others and those who are closest to us. But what about yourself? How often are you frustrated with you? How often do you come down hard on yourself because of your own mistakes, failures, lack of skills or even your sins? Well, welcome to life.
I used to think that once I got older I would be less frustrated. I figured I would be more skilled, better at my relationships and less tempted as I get older. My expectations have let me down… once again! I have realised that there will always be times when I am frustrated with myself… even more than I am with others. Bottom line is, I don’t have all my stuff together. My idealistic notion that as I get older and mature things would come together has been smashed!
In Romans chapter 7 the apostle Paul talks about his own frustration. The things he wants to do, he does not do. On the other hand, the things he hates, he does. The problem is we are human. Try as hard as we may, we are inconsistent. Despite our best intentions we will be frustrated with our own lack of ability to either do, or not do, what we have determined. Is it any wonder that sometimes we have a bad day?
In the final analysis, we must ask just one question. How do I deal with my frustrations? I suggest to you that the secret is found in our perspective. Life is not about our past, or even our present. Life is about our direction; it’s about where we are going. Paul says in Philippians chapter 3 that the one thing he does is to forget about the past, and press on to what is ahead. It’s all about heading in the right direction.
I have become convinced that our perspective and the direction we are heading has a huge impact on how we feel about the past, about living in the present, and about being optimistic about the future. Don’t let the cares of this world get you down… just keep going in the right direction.
Blessings and warm regards, Craig