Wandering Crusader #269 Frustrated

I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain. Galatians 2:20-21

I may be overestimating the truth when I say that I am an expert on frustration, but I don’t think so. Frustration seems to cling to me like my shadow. It may not be the only one, but it is certainly a thorn in my flesh. There are days, many many days, when my every endeavor, my every movement, and my every thought frustrate me beyond mere irritation.

I used to think my expectations were unreasonable. For example, I expected that turning a switch to ON ought to make the machine power up and work as advertised. I know now that is not true, at least for me. That things work as advertised will never be a reasonable assumption as long as their failure to do so frustrates me. At times, my frustration with things tends to apply to people as well. That's another story.

I am sure the many sources and frequency of my frustrations stem from God and are the work of the Holy Spirit. I take God at His word when He says, “Be ye holy as I am holy”. I’m not there yet—not even close. Nevertheless, a holy union with God is His design for me. Though He sees the end from the beginning, He will not rest until that end is reached. God’s grace is sufficient for the job.

Dealing with frustration, or rather my failure to do so properly, is an oft repeated lesson. The object of the lesson is for me not to frustrate God’s grace, but to cooperate with it. God has called me into a union with Him in which I live in perfect harmony with His design. This union is possible only by His grace, that is, by God living in me. It is His gift to me. I am a creature that doesn’t work as intended by the Creator. Try as I might, I can’t fix what is wrong. Only the Designer can make me right again.

Miraculously, He has done all the work needed to make that happen. However, I do have a role to play. I have to accept what was done on my behalf and live from that point on in a free, loving cooperation with God through Christ. It sounds easier than I make it, and it is, provided I don’t frustrate things along the way. I’m learning, slowly, but I am learning.

The life that I now live in the flesh must be lived by faith in Christ and in the certain hope that He will do all He has promised. I love Him because my faith is built on reason and my hope is secure in a God who is love.

Maranatha