Hebrews 10:35-36 – Do not throw away your confidence…for you have need of endurance.
Frustrated? If you are like 99 percent of the people in America, you will probably say yes. Frustration winds you up, increases your blood pressure, then saps you of your energy, stealing time away from you. Your thinking gets foggy and you are prone to making mistakes when frustration sinks its fingers into your life.
Psychologists give helpful suggestions. So does God’s Word. Practice deep breathing—focus on it for a minute or two. As you focus, remember it is God’s very breath that first gave life to humankind, and it is His breath that sustains you. “The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life (Job 33:4).
Focus on the little things that make you smile: The sun shining through your window, a breeze rustling the leaves of the trees; the smell of freshly laundered clothes. Then thank your Heavenly Father who has given you everything to enjoy (1 Timothy 6:17). Spend 2-3 minutes focused on these little things, giving as much of your attention to them as possible.
Then focus on what you can do in the present moment. If you are truly weary, rest and take care of yourself. If you are more manic, consider your goals and take one small step toward achieving one of them. Then “commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established” (Proverbs 10:3).
Pray With Us
O Dear Lord God, I admit to being frustrated. In the midst of all of the limitations placed on this nation and on the lives of individuals, I often feel helpless to do anything at all. Then I get stymied, and looking for answers, often suffer from analysis paralysis. Thank You for your Word that always reminds me to trust in You and Your plans for me. Help me rest in You today. Thank you for the breath that sustains my life, for the little things that make me smile, and for always being there. I love you, Lord.
Amen.
