Dealing with Frustrations

"Where do I go when there's nobody else to turn to?

Who do I talk to when nobody wants to listen?

Who do I lean on when there's no foundation stable?
I go to the Rock. I know He's able. I go to the  Rock."
(Dottie Rambo)

 

Do you ever feel that way?  Life can be frustrating, can't it?  There are big frustrations - HUGE frustrations.  And there are little frustrations.  And there's everything in between.

 

We can be frustrated by all sorts of things.

 

By the power company deciding to shut off your power for a few minutes just as you're about to blow-dry your hair.

 

By standing in the slowest line at Walmart.

 

By traffic.

 

By chronic illness. 

 

By waiting for a diagnosis, hoping for the best but expecting the worst.  Or just waiting to get an appointment with a doctor!

 

By a spouse or children who just don't listen.

 

By being left out, not invited to a friend's birthday party.  Or even worse, being left out of a family gathering.

By being ignored.

 

By waiting for a phone call that never comes.

 

By having too much month at the end of the money.

 

By your job.  Or by not having a job.  And not being able to find a job.

 

By really needing a vacation.  By wanting to take the family on a nice vacation but really needing to put tires on the car instead.

 

By being misunderstood.

 

By not being able to lose those last few pounds.  Or by not being able to stick to your healthy eating plan, no matter how badly you might want to.  Or by not getting started on that healthy eating plan in the first place, even though you know you need to.

By wanting to be taller.  Or shorter.

 

By a knee that won't bend as much as you want it to, no matter how hard you try.  Or won't bend as much as the patient's on the next therapy table.  Or a knee that swells up like a balloon whenever you're the least bit active.

 

Frustrated by all sorts of things.  By people.  By circumstances.  By life.

 

Just frustrated.

 

Where do we turn?  What do we do?  How do we cope? The words of an old gospel hymn may help us answer those questions.

 

 Living below in this old sinful world
Hardly a comfort can afford.

Striving alone to face temptations call,
Where could I go to the Lord?

Where could I go, where could I go?
Seeking a refuge for my soul.
Needing a friend to help me in the end,
Where could I go to the Lord?

(Billy Sherrill/Glenn Sutton) 



 

 

Life can be frustrating.  For believers and unbelievers alike.  Putting our faith and trust in Christ is not a guarantee that life will no longer have challenges or frustrations.  But it is a guarantee that we don't walk through those situations alone.  That Christ Himself, through the person of the Holy Spirit, is with us in every difficulty.  And that we can turn to Him for comfort in every situation.  Indeed, where else could we go?

 

 

"On God rests my salvation and my glory; my mighty rock, my refuge is God.  Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us."  (Psalm 62: 7-8 ESV)

"Lord, to whom shall we go?  You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God."  (John 6:68 ESV)