Sunday, January 17, 2010

Four Frustrations Turning to Encouragement

Blog originally published January 17, 2010  edited

Cement for footing finally delivered. (click video link)
 Pump waiting 20 years for hook up and trough 3 months.

If all things work for good for those who love the Lord, here are some frustrations experienced and how God used these 4 frustrations to encourage.

God also often uses our frustrations to point out a new view of ourselves.

1.     The frustration of navigating holes and piles of dirt while waiting three months for workmen to show up and finish the work.  In the end it was worth the wait.                                                       
    God’s Point: “Why are you frustrated with others, when you have not finished   what I asked of you.”                                                                                                      Encouragement: “Just show up and get to work.” The wall workers arrived the day after I started back to write.  

2.     The well water comes out of the kitchen faucet in a slow trickle. When the plumber shows up, he removed the sediment blocking the line.                                               
God’s Point: “You have much sediment in your life that blocks the flow of what I   want to do through you.”                                                                                            Encouragement: “Bring to Me the sediment of life that prevents you from doing my work and I will set you free.”                                                                                 

3.     The paths are muddied by the rain, making trips to the laundry room difficult.
I heard about someone who needed work, asked her and she helped me the next day to complete the gravel path.                                                                                         
Point: “You need a God-sized covering so you don’t become so stuck.”                  Encouragement: “I will continue to send what is needed to keep you from being  stuck, if you just ask.”                                                                                              

4.     Heavy rain found a way through the sun room glass roof, landing on the hatch door and dripping down to the wine cellar. I put two buckets out and use them for collecting rain water for the plants stored there for the winter.
Point: “The overflow of my Holy Spirit is available, you need to know that.”
Encouragement: “Capture regular time too, to fill the bucket with a flow of writing to nourish others.”

Paul tells us we are not alone.

“I obviously need help! I realize that I don’t have what it takes. I can will it, but I can’t do it. I decide to do good, but I don’t really do it; I decide not to do bad, but then I do it anyway. My decisions, such as they are, don’t result in actions. Something has gone wrong deep within me and gets the better of me every time....Is there no one who can do anything for me? Isn’t that the real questions? The answer, thank God, is that Jesus Christ can and does. He acted to set things right in this life of contradictions where I want to serve God with all my heart and mind, but am pulled by the influence of sin to do something totally different.” Romans 7:18-20; 24b-25 The Message


What are the frustrations in your life? Where might they point? How is God trying to change you?



2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I don't know how you found my blog but your comment couldn't have come at a more perfect time.

I followed your link to the most wonderful surprise; a "woman of wisdom" whose writing life seems to parallel my own.

I drank in your words and felt God's care for me once again. Thank you for visiting and I look forward to many future exchanges. JoDee Luna

Angel Bryant said...

Contemplating blog redesign, found your blog on twitter and just when I was thinking that social media was a waste of time.
Thank you for your encouraging comment here and on your blog. As a former teacher, I too look forward to getting to know you.