FROM THE PULPIT
       
         Weekly Religious Article
                      
                                                      Edward Proffitt Th. D.  

       THERE IS VICTORY OVER FRUSTRATION

             "This is the victory that over cometh the world...faith" 1 John 5:4

                                               Edward Proffitt, Th.D.

 

A young lady gives birth; there are complications and the new mother dies A drunk driver crosses to the wrong lane. There is a wreck and announced person is killed. A argument takes place and a knife is pulled and a person is disfigured. It just doesn't make sense! suffering, sorrow, separation, sadness are a art of every ones life.

 

There are so many unexplained problem's plaguing society that cause life frustration The frustrations are magnified by the fact that no one really seems to have an answer that makes sense. Homes are being destroyed at record levels. Children are being hurt from dispute and divorce. Suicide is at the epic stage. It just doesn't make sense. As Christians how can we make any sense out of what makes no sense?

 

That is a dilemma we face: how do we cope with those things in our lives that just don't make sense? When it doesn't make sense frustration moves in. We must not deny frustration to exist; we just do not give in to the frustration. Sure, some things fail to make sense presently., but that does not mean they will never make sense.

 

We must not become as the proverbial ostrich wish our heads in the sand, nor allow frustration to take our emotions to an uncontrolled state. We must recognize our frustration and confront it with reality that it might be a encouragement for our faith.

 

Paul the Apostle gives us help in frustration. In 2nd Corinthians 4:8-10 he writes "we are troubled on every side, yet not distressed, we are perplexed, but not in despair, persecuted, but not forsaken, cast down, but not destroyed, always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body". Paul's words encourage us to know we can deal with frustrations for what they are. This life is filled with times that that just don't make sense.

 

Days are filled with dilemmas for which there seems no deliverance, night plagued with aversion for which there seems no relief: circumstances for which we can find no control. We are "troubled on every side" but we can cope with the cries, and as we do, we are assured that the Christ of every crisis will come with comfort or, and cure.