Are You Totally Frustrated?

The Lord and his disciples were traveling along and came to a village.  When they got there, a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home.  She had a sister named Mary, who sat down in front of the Lord and was listening to what he said.  Martha was worried about all that had to be done.  Finally, she went to Jesus and said, “Lord, doesn't it bother you that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself?  Tell her to come and help me!”  Luke 10:38-40 (CEV)

Have you ever been totally frustrated?  That is when everyone and everything gets on your last nerve?  I've been there.  And I come to realize that whenever I am totally frustrated, the issue is seldom with others, but rather the issue is actually me.  When irritation sets in, it is an indication that self has become my main focus and not God.  So we become frustrated when something doesn't go the way we want it to go, or someone doesn't act the way we want them to act.  Sometimes our frustration can be directed at God.  We know that God knows what we need – so why doesn't he just give it to us?  In other words – “God, why are you not acting the way we want you to act?”

In our scripture, Martha was totally frustrated.  She wanted to treat Jesus to a finger-licking-home-cooked meal.  But while she was running around, her sister, Mary, was relaxing with Jesus.  In her frustration, Martha went to Jesus to tell him what she wanted - her sister to help her.  Instead, Jesus told her that the source of her frustration wasn't her sister, but herself.  He went on to tell her that if she was more focused on God instead of herself and what she had to do, she wouldn't be so frustrated, but more like her Mary – relaxed.

Today, let us refocus on God.  Let us turn our frustration into faith by turning our focus from ourselves back to loving, thanking and praising God – understanding that God is still God.  God still has everything under control.  When we totally embrace that truth, we too can become relaxed.