Frustration

What frustrates you?

This morning, I became frustrated, and once the frustration crept into my mind, everything changed. I became critical, short-tempered, and judgmental. Suddenly I found everyone and everything annoying. I allowed one small interaction in the morning to color my focus and outlook for hours. Silly, isn't it? Does this ever happen to you?

I found some definitions for "frustration" that helped me put words around why exactly the interaction I had this morning frustrated me:

"Frustration is a common emotional response to opposition. Related to anger and disappointment, it arises from the perceived resistance to the fulfillment of individual will." (Ouch.)

"A deep chronic sense or state of insecurity and dissatisfaction arising from unresolved problems or unfulfilled needs" (Ah!)

Basically, I became frustrated because I was challenged. I allowed my pride to be wounded. Someone did not comply with a request on my timeline, and this person responded to me briskly, so I took offense.

What a waste of energy for me to allow myself to get frustrated over this minor challenge and carry that with me for half of the day! I wasted hours that I could have been loving on and investing in other people by keeping to myself and not being very social. Instead of taking offense, I should have paused, considered where this person was coming from, what kind of day this person was having, and what might have been on the forefront of his mind.

Jesus did not respond to challenges by getting frustrated. He turned the other cheek (Matthew 5:39). This response can be a bit difficult to comprehend. I know that there is a fine line between turning the other cheek and becoming a doormat who accepts abuse, but in the moment, that fine line can be hard to identify. I think that the key issue to consider in turning the other cheek is how frequently the behavior that prompts the frustration occurs. This morning was the first time this person had been harsh with me, so I was clearly wrong to slink away and harbor bitterness for hours. However, if conversations like that become a habit with this individual, I think it would be wise for me to address the issue and seek understanding.

Bottom line, absolutely nothing positive comes when we allow ourselves to dwell in a state of frustration. When we are tempted to be frustrated, we should either turn the other cheek and move on, or - if the distressing situation occurs frequently - address it kindly and in a very real way. My response today was a complete waste of time and energy.

I pray that the next time you or I are tempted to become frustrated, we stop and access the situation. Then, we can choose how to respond instead of allowing joy-stealing frustration to cloud our days.