Reflections (Part 4): The End Of The Hopeless Struggle
Photo Courtesy of Aaron Burden Photography
A Hijacked Heart
You don’t have to be an “angry person” to appreciate the analogy from the movie, Anger Management. Like most people, you probably see yourself as the “frozen food section guy” in this scenario.
Whether it’s a movie or somebody else’s situation, it’s not all that difficult to see things for how they really are. But often times, what’s so easy to see in others—
is almost impossible to see in ourselves.
Life is full of frustrations. Things don’t work out, people let you down, expectations go unmet—the list goes on & on. And it’s only a matter of time before those things get under your skin. Literally. In the book of Psalms, we see the byproduct of such unrelenting frustration:
“Then I realized that my heart was bitter, and I was all torn up inside.” Psalm 73:21 (NLT)
That’s the big payoff for all our frustrations. An internal state of heart & mind that’s bitter & torn up. And yet, so many of us fail to recognize when things have gotten to this point.
We shrug it off. Telling people & telling ourselves that “we’re just frustrated”. But the truth is, there’s more behind our feelings of frustration. And sometimes—
The truth hurts.
It hurts to realize when you’ve allowed your frustration to sink deeper than it ever should have. But while the truth may hurt, relief can always be found on the other side. Psalm 73 continues:
“I was so foolish and ignorant— I must have seemed like a senseless animal to you.
Yet I still belong to you [God]; you hold my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, leading me to a glorious destiny.”
You still belong to a loving God. A Faithful Father, who’s faithful to lead you through your frustrations. “Feeling frustrated” isn’t a bad thing; it’s what we do with it that makes the difference.
You can choose to remain stuck in a senseless struggle. Or you can come to your senses. You can choose to—
find freedom.
freed from frustration
When you know your heart’s not right, it’s “normal” to let guilt set in & further compound the issue. But thankfully, God’s not in the business of normal.
The purpose of conviction isn’t to sentence you, it’s to set you free. That’s the key that God uses to remove the handcuffs you didn’t even know you were bound by. Guilt robs you of your sense of hope.
Grace reminds you of your source of hope.
Reminder #1: renewed intimacy
It’s incredibly easy to get caught up in the business of life. Meeting all the demands that are placed on you personally & professionally. It’s been said before, but it bears repeating…
“If everything seems important, you’ve lost sight of what actually is.”
With 5 kids, there’s a lot of work to be done by my wife and I. Working alongside her is great. But it’s the face-to-face (intentional) time that we spend with each other that keeps our marriage intimate & healthy.
Likewise, God doesn’t want us to simply work alongside Him. He wants us to experience the joy & spiritual intimacy that only He can bring. Recognize when it’s time to reconnect. To have a heart-to-heart—
with the One who made yours.
Reminder #2: renewed mindset
“My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart…” Psalm 73:21-24, 26 (NLT)
You’ve got to appreciate the honesty of this Psalm. Instead of burying their head in the sand & acting like everything’s okay, they acknowledge their struggles. Failing health & a weak spirit. But God remains their strength.
There’s nothing more frustrating than when things don’t work out. To find yourself tripped up when things get messed up. But God tells us over & over again that His Word does not return void. That He finishes what He starts.
That His plans never fail.
When we’re in tune with Him, His plans become our plans. No matter what happens to “our plans”, His good purpose prevails. Your hearts’ desire to accomplish will dupe you into throwing away the days you feel unaccomplished & unworthy. But there’s not a wasted day with God.
At the end of the day—
You’re worthy because you’re his.
Reminder #3: Renewed faith
“I know how great this makes you feel, even though you have to put up with every kind of aggravation in the meantime. Pure gold put in the fire comes out of it proved pure; genuine faith put through this suffering comes out proved genuine.
When Jesus wraps this all up, it’s your faith, not your gold, that God will have on display as evidence of his victory.”
By faith, we believe that every aggravation isn’t about desperation, it’s used for purification. For purifying our faith into something that’s beautiful & stands the test of time. By faith, we believe that what we’ve been through pales in comparison to what God’s up to.
You may feel down, but you’re not out. God hasn’t forgotten you, He’s molding you. Let your faith—
be the evidence of God’s goodness.
breaking point
Without Jesus, life will ultimately be defined by frustration. With Jesus, frustration becomes just another tool that God uses to bring about good in the lives of those who know & love Him.
“Unrelenting disappointing leaves you heartsick, but a sudden good break can turn life around.” Proverbs 13:12 (MSG)
We all need to catch a break in life. God is your good break. He’s the author & origin of good news. The only One capable of turning your life around. He’s the beginning of hope. And He’s the end of—
The hopeless struggle.
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today’s Takeaways
What’s easy to see in others can be impossible to see in ourselves.
Let your faith be the evidence of god’s goodness.
What are his plans for your life?