Frustration (Stress Reducers Part 5 of 10)

The preacher said, “Repent! Give your heart to Jesus, and he will shower you with blessings.”
This was great. I would soon be rich, have a wonderful family, and a rewarding career.
For years, I thought the preacher was wrong. Trusting God wasn’t easy. I was frustrated and suffered great stress because nothing happened the way I prayed it would.
With better attention to the Bible stories, I could have seen that God’s greatest promises were fulfilled though pain and suffering. The sun, moon, and eleven stars were supposed to bow to Joseph, but he received hatred, slavery, and betrayal instead. Hundreds of years later, Mary gave birth to the Son of God, yet she didn’t have enough money for the normal sacrifice of a lamb. Their paths to glory couldn’t have been what they expected.
The popular song from the movie Frozen suggests a positive reward if I can simply “let it go.” Endless frustration comes from hanging on to what I can’t control.
To avoid stress, I allow people to make their own choices. I accept conditions the way they are, knowing that one day, God will fulfill his promises in his way, not mine.
Frustration is avoided by refusing to accept responsibility for something we can’t control.