Dealing With Frustration

This morning I was reading from Graham Cooke's book, "Manifesting Your Spirit" and came across something on that he wrote concerning frustration that was very helpful and thought provoking.  It is definitely worth sharing and thinking about in depth and getting this into our personal perspective of life.

Frustration does not exist
in the Kingdom.
It is a device of the world,
a negative construct contrary
to the nature of the Bright One.

Frustration is an admission that we
are baffled, checked, blocked,
neutralized in faith -
by people, circumstances, and opposition.
Frustration legitimizes negative emotions,
giving them a place in our experience.

Frustration is discontent
opening our heart to  lethargy.
We become irked, resentful, disappointed,
gullible to defeat -
owned by pessimism.

We must learn  how to use frustration
and not be used by it.
To be frustrated is to admit
that I do not possess at this moment
the required amount of patience, peace,
and joy for the circumstances of my life.

If I focus on frustration,
the core of my attention
is the opposite of who God is for me.

Frustration is an emotional sign
that I need an upgrade.
It points to an available increase,
raising my awareness of God's provision.
Therefore, frustration must turn to
celebration of God's intent.

In the hands of the enemy
it robs me of enthusiasm.
It blinds me to all the possibilities
of the one true Spirit.

I become disheartened, looking for
pity, sympathy -
seeking fellow victims of discouragement
I give permission to be afflicted.
Frustration causes negative fellowship
as I move in the opposite spirit
to Christ within.

In the hands of the Shining One
it points towards fullness,
the reality of something more -
greater success unfolding.
Frustration is turned into confession
in one stroke of happy thinking.

"Thank you, Father, that frustration
reveals my lack of Your fullness.
It points me to the upgrade available.
It releases Your permission to become more.

Patience, peace, and joy abound
constantly in Your presence.
Grace follows the upgrade;
love flows more powerfully.

I am renewed, restored, made bigger,
enabled to see from a greater height
of Your affection.
Everything must bow
to patience, peace, and joy.
They are Heaven's true reality."

Frustration is earthly, one dimensional,
and destructive.
It reduces everything it touches.
It makes us start everything
from a place of deficit.
We struggle to catch up
with God's reality.
Frustration is reality
from a wrong dimension.

To fight frustration we must turn
our back on it,
look into the heart of the One
committed to our development,
trade our sorrows for His joy.
Frustration must turn to celebration.

Patience is the fast track to greater heights.
Joy is the welcoming party to Presence.
Wisdom releases the focus of Heaven.
Peace releases the angst,
causing us to smile, be carefree.
Contentment with godliness -
.... a sure winner.

By Graham Cooke

As I read through this, I see so much for me to stop on and meditate.  I am convinced of the truth of these statements, and they provide me a perspective that provides leverage for my mind and heart.  At times I can be overwhelmed, stuck in circumstances and situations with no sense of how to extract myself.  This shows me the way, to view things from God's perspective, from a heavenly perspective.  If it doesn't exist in Heaven, then it is not part of God's provision, nor His perspective.  If I can gain His perspective, not only can I see the way out, but I can get a sense of His real provision and purpose.  I love the line, " In the hands of the Shining One it points towards fullness, the reality of something more - greater success unfolding.  That is the way of God, the one who loves us and has made a way for us.  I have found that the places of my greatest frustration seem to be the places where God has the most planned for me.  It is almost like I know in my spirit that there must be more.  There is a hunger for something I can't even put words to at times.

I know there is more.
I know there must be more.
I know this can't be the fullness of all God has for me, so there must be more!

Amen Lord, help me to turn frustration into expectation of more!  Help me to turn my back on frustration and instead look at You as the one who loves me and desires me to experience all You have planned for me, in the depths of Your goodness and Love.