The Other Side of Frustration

The other day, I happened to read a blog post that had some words of wisdom for me.

"I believe that when we're frustrated, it doesn't have to be for nought.  It doesn't have to stop short. . . .  Frustration can be the first burning sparks of holy desire."  (from The RunaMuck.com, January 21, 2014)

 I've always been frustrated by frustration.  The very emotion of it gets under my skin and becomes an itch that I can't seem to scratch.  Perhaps part of my irritation with frustration is that I have never really believed it was leading me anywhere.

Until I read that blog post.

I was actually frustrated on the day I read the blog (about what, I can't remember).  But I DO remember having an instantaneous shift in my thinking when I read that part about burning sparks. Suddenly, my frustration wasn't just a meaningless exercise in itchy irritation.  It was the spark of a holy desire.  And when I saw it that way, the frustrated emotions began to retreat and grace entered the scene.  It was a powerful moment. Because, see, my frustration is often rooted in powerlessness - by my feeling powerless to change something, ensnared by my own indecision or by someone else's choices.  Grace lifts my feet out of the frustration muck and gives me a bird's-eye-view of the situation.  So maybe my frustration with my husband's attitude has a holy desire behind it - a desire to see him come to a place of rest.  Or maybe my frustration with my neglect of this blog last week can open my eyes to an unhealthy need for approval (and a very healthy need for grace).

I think this post is about more than the emotions of frustration.  I think this post is also about the power of a shift in perspective and what that can do for a person's soul.  So keep your eyes open for a holy spark - it could show up in an unlikely place.