Ed, my neighbour next door, is feeling frustrated. He cannot control the weather and must wait to get going again at his harvest after recent rains. Ed is sure that once you are retired like me, life is frustration free. Ed says it this way, "You retired guys just spend money that you don't have to worry about making."
"Retired guys like me can get frustrated with a fixed income that only allows you to spend your money carefully," I told Ed. I also said, "We get our pension check, but it is like a loonie today - you can't buy too much with it." Of course Ed doesn't believe me, which is fair, because usually only God knows the truth about how rich or poor we are. Perhaps we all care too much about making, having or spending our money.
Ed has a legitimate cause for concern about the progress of his harvest. A successful harvest reflects the weather, which cannot be controlled. Concern easily turns into worry and frustration.
Many retirees have put aside money for their retirement in RRSP funds that have proven to be the victim of stock market declines -making many nest eggs empty of real value. Stock market crashes are a concern for investors. Concern easily turns into worry and frustration.
This side of heaven, few have a frustration-free life. Most have concerns about income, work, job security, pay, health, etc. Many have frustrations in their family and daily life. Unless we are in a coma, something will matter greatly to us. Too often our concerns turn into worry and frustration, which may mean we are trying to control what we are not supposed to control.
Frustration reflects the reality that we do not control the events of our life. It is good to have goals and desires, but we cannot have life work out just exactly the way we want or plan. Each day will come and go no matter what goes right or wrong for us personally. This is so we would remember it is God who is in control. God knows what we need and mostly it isn't what we are concerned and worried about most. We need God's righteousness not our own. This may not be high on our list of wants.
Things like income, food, drink, clothes, home and health - God knows that we need these basics of life. God tells us, "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." God wants to give us the best gift possible - his righteousness through faith in his Son Jesus Christ.
God asks us to consider it this way: "Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask Him!"
Who of us can control the weather or the stock markets? None of us. Who of us can recognize our sinfulness and turn to God's righteousness for us by faith in Jesus Christ? All of us, if we are willing to do so.
