“You’re not that good to get that mad.”
Yes, I have heard that comment before, and I know it to be true. BUT I am good enough to know that I should be performing better than I am, and that’s when I get frustrated.
We have all experienced frustration. It is that dissonance that occurs when the results don’t match the desire. And it is only made worse when we have invested time, energy, money, and hope into the bargain. And in our expert opinion, we have invested enough of each of these to deserve the desired results.
This happens in all areas of life: hobbies, work, health, relationships.
By definition, frustration, at its core, means to be disappointed, dissatisfied, or thwarted. And at the core of that problem is the belief that all these results should be happening on our timetable and in our way.
I can remember being frustrated after a difficult loss during a college tennis match, and asking my coach when it would all finally come together. Her reply: “It just takes more experience.”
How much more! I wanted to scream, but the answer was kind of obvious — more than I already had. But I didn’t want to hear that answer. I didn’t want to have to go through more experience. I wanted the results and the wins now.
But to want results after we have put in what we believe is the requisite amount of time, money, practice, and work takes God completely out of the equation in two ways. First, if results are dependent only on what we do, then how does that glorify God. Gideon’s army who was to face over 135,000 Midianites was whittled down from 32,000 to 300 for just that reason (even though they were already sorely outnumbered)--to make sure God got the glory, not Gideon or the Israelites. Do we want the desired results for God’s glory or for ours?
Second, how are we to know that there’s not more to learn in the interim? Not only in the arena under question but also in life and spiritual growth. To believe ourselves all-knowing is to put ourselves on par with God. Hmmmm. That has never worked out well.
Frustration is another one of those symptoms that manifests a deeper problem—a heart problem. And if our heart is set on the things of this world, then we are guaranteed to experience frustration.
Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth . . . But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven . . . . For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6: 19-21
Yes, I have heard that comment before, and I know it to be true. BUT I am good enough to know that I should be performing better than I am, and that’s when I get frustrated.
We have all experienced frustration. It is that dissonance that occurs when the results don’t match the desire. And it is only made worse when we have invested time, energy, money, and hope into the bargain. And in our expert opinion, we have invested enough of each of these to deserve the desired results.
This happens in all areas of life: hobbies, work, health, relationships.
By definition, frustration, at its core, means to be disappointed, dissatisfied, or thwarted. And at the core of that problem is the belief that all these results should be happening on our timetable and in our way.
I can remember being frustrated after a difficult loss during a college tennis match, and asking my coach when it would all finally come together. Her reply: “It just takes more experience.”
How much more! I wanted to scream, but the answer was kind of obvious — more than I already had. But I didn’t want to hear that answer. I didn’t want to have to go through more experience. I wanted the results and the wins now.
But to want results after we have put in what we believe is the requisite amount of time, money, practice, and work takes God completely out of the equation in two ways. First, if results are dependent only on what we do, then how does that glorify God. Gideon’s army who was to face over 135,000 Midianites was whittled down from 32,000 to 300 for just that reason (even though they were already sorely outnumbered)--to make sure God got the glory, not Gideon or the Israelites. Do we want the desired results for God’s glory or for ours?
Second, how are we to know that there’s not more to learn in the interim? Not only in the arena under question but also in life and spiritual growth. To believe ourselves all-knowing is to put ourselves on par with God. Hmmmm. That has never worked out well.
Frustration is another one of those symptoms that manifests a deeper problem—a heart problem. And if our heart is set on the things of this world, then we are guaranteed to experience frustration.
Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth . . . But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven . . . . For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6: 19-21
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