FINDING FUN IN FRUSTRATIONS

Have you thanked Him?

Have you praised Him?

Have you made it your priority to agree and cooperate with Him today?

Have you taken that deep breath and listened for what He has for you today?

1 Timothy 2:1 (The Message)

1-3The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.

I am usually pretty open in this forum about my struggles.  Today is no exception.  I have been frustrated.  I will go one step further; really frustrated. 

I’m sure you know the feeling.  I am confident I am not alone.  These are frustrating times we live in for sure.  So I went looking for a little help with it in hopes that the frustrations would start to fade.

Found this little nugget.

Isaiah 26:3 (NIV)

You will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you.

There hasn’t been much “peace” in my spirit the last few weeks.

For example we broke a record for the number of people who are on our local homeless waiting list this week.  Then for good measure we added 4 more yesterday.  That will rob you of you peace.

I mean I am sure there are situations and circumstances in your life where the problem is bigger than you and there is no perceived relief available.  Yet the WORD tells us to remain steadfast and to trust and GOD will bring “perfect peace”.  Not an easy task.

Yet the WORD also says in 1 Corinthians 13:5 that…

Love is not easily angered…

So if we are operating our days in love and grace, then we should be slow to anger and frustration; instead thanking GOD for test in the same way we thank Him for the blessing He pours into our lives.

1 Thessalonians 5:18

In everything give thanks…

But that too is often easier said than done isn’t it?

The truth is you and I don’t have to be thankful for difficult or frustrating situations. 

But we can be thankful IN them.

That frustration, that irritation, that inconvenience, that interruption, or that challenging circumstance may be a blessing or an opportunity in disguise.  It is our job NOT to focus so much on the circumstance but to seek GOD as to the lesson, the ANSWER to the challenge or the strength to see our way through it in love and grace. 

GOD will help.

Psalm 138:3 (NLT)

As soon as I pray, you answer me; you encourage me by giving me strength.

Yesterday Pastor Mark from AHOP here in Xenia encouraged us to MAKE “FUN” of our FAITH.  He wasn’t saying to “put it down” or ridicule it.  The world does enough of that already. Rather Mark was encouraging us to GRAB the JOY of the LORD when at all possible.  To have FUN in our faith!

I will be honest; real honest for a second.

Church for me of late has not been joyful. It has not been fun.  In fact church has become frustrating.

But my wife and Mark are serving to help remind me that the joy of ministry can’t be tied to circumstances and it can’t be navigated in my own strength.  For in this world there is always going to be trouble, chaos, problems and frustration.  Jesus said it Himself. 

Therefore when I am feeling frustrated or can feel the fun being sucked out of the ministry, I need to remember that while happiness is often circumstantial, JOY is supernatural and that JOY has a proven and endless source; THE LORD and fun can be "re-found".

Proverbs 10:28 (ESV)

The hope of the righteous brings joy…

Nehemiah 8:10 (MSG)

…Don’t feel bad. The joy of God is your strength!

So this is another one of those “practice what I preach” moments for me.

I am going to do my best turn my frustrations over to Him this week and allow GOD to replace them with JOY and strength.

You say you need to as well?

Well let's go find the fun again shall we?

I love you all.

Freedom Church

Pastor GDelaney