Evil has many faces and tools. While the blatant forms are easily identified and the methods of defense well known, it is the quiet forms wearing masquerades which often cause the most damage and pain.
Starting with myself, I would gently offer these observations with the prayer that you and I are able to see, understand, and respondto the threats with holistic compassion and resolve.
If one is frustrated, it is a celebration flag. Frustration means one is trying to do something! Yes, there is opposition and challenges. However, it is highly unlikely that you are moving in life if there is no resistance. Do not take this as a commentary when you are moving with the current in the right direction. The observation is strictly around frustration and positive aspirations.
Force is not always the right answer to frustration. There are multiple routes to success, some easier than others. Life reminds me to search and accept the help and insights of others. Seeing and understanding the why behind one’s frustration is often behind the door opened when one looks through another’s eyes. What follows is an engagement which meets the source of our frustration with compassion, empathy, and hope.
One is never in a battle alone, even if the source of the frustration is within. Start with the prayer Psalm; “Don’t let the wicked have their way, God, don’t give them an inch!” (Psalm 140.08). Let the revelations which follow soak in, especially as God’s voice is expressed by the children of God in one’s life. It is the confidence of a fool that leads to battling frustration alone. You and I belong to God. Use this belonging to let others into the details of the battle. There is no shame in asking for help. One is always stronger with the assist.
As I take a deep breath this morning, I can feel the assurance of the Presence. In embracing my frustration, I find myself excited and energized by the challenges of the possible. We can overcome the barriers and be a transformational force.
