He who is slow to anger has great understanding [and profits from his self-control],
But he who is quick-tempered exposes and exalts his foolishness [for all to see].
– Proverbs 14:29 (AMP)
If there is one certainty that we can all expect every single day of our life, it is the opportunity to become frustrated. It’s everywhere! From the long wait for the coffee maker to the traffic and all those people that just don’t understand your schedule. The beast within that we call frustration is ever looming in the background, waiting to be unleashed, ready to rear its ugly head.
But what exactly is frustration?
Frustration is the feeling of annoyance, discouragement, or anger that arises when your efforts to achieve a goal are blocked or your expectations are not met. Quite simply, it is an emotional response emanating from when things don’t go your way. The inconvenient reality is that in life, much of the time things will not go our way. In many cases, we have little or no control over such things, but we do have control in how we choose to respond.
Patience reflects our choice in how we decide to react to situations and in the way we endeavor the trials, however big or small that we will constantly face. As simple as this definition is, the application is becoming harder and harder.
According to a survey of 2,000 adults, all of the luxuries of modern life have made most people incredibly impatient. This is not confined to any one part of our life, but rather across pretty much every aspect of our lives. Three quarters of those surveyed said they believe the dominance of digital technology, such as smartphones and on-demand TVs are to blame for this ever growing lack of patience. The survey shows the average person grows frustrated after waiting 16 seconds for a webpage to load and 25 seconds for a traffic signal to change. We are living in a culture that wants what we want and we want it right now. Technological conveniences have become an expectation and it is taking its toll on us emotionally. The result is a selfish and self-centered mentality that elevates the needs of the one over a more harmonious outlook of community. The ensuing storm draws people into a place of anger and intolerance. Sensible and rational decisions are replaced by annoyance, dissatisfaction and resentment.
The only cure is choosing to be patient in our frustration. Scripture helps us and guides us here. Proverbs 29:11 says, A fool gives full vent to his spirit, but a wise man quietly holds it back. What causes our anger? Usually it results from a building frustration that has not been addressed. Sideways anger is a redirection of frustration and anger away from its true source and onto an unintended target. The top blows and the full vent of that frustration erupts into outrage.
Patience is where frustration is allowed to mellow. Patience is the capacity to accept or tolerate delays, suffering, or annoyance without becoming frustrated, upset or angry. It combines steady perseverance with emotional regulation and gives us the ability to maintain a calm demeanor under pressure. Patience is rooted in our relationship with Christ. If we have found our identity in Jesus, a confidence comes which grants us a much longer line of sight. One that reaches all the way to eternity.
Look at what Galatians 6:9 says, And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.
In many ways, allowing our frustration to grow into anger is giving up on the process of patience. It is ignoring the leading of the Holy Spirit and Scripture and instead reacting to the situation. Paul’s words here help us to gain a more Godly perspective. We should never get tired of doing good because inherently when we are about our Father’s business we are inspired and energized. Even if we don’t see immediate results, we can have confidence that in due time, God will be glorified.
The Bible has the answers we desperately need when we are frustrated. We just need the patience to seek the Lord in these times.
