Chapter 3: 1
Sarai and the frustrations of life
Frustration is an internal feeling of failure or disappointment as a result of unfulfilled dreams or unexpected circumstances or unsuccessful plans. It’s an upsetting and uncomfortable feeling. When it possesses a person, it leads him to depression, desperation and wrong decisions.
The scripture says in (Proverbs 13:12) "Hope deferred makes the heart sick".
Could we be frustrated and suffer from failure and let depression seep into our hearts?
Unfortunately, this happens sometimes…and through my services and during my meetings as God’s servant and as a psychologist, I feel that so many people go through feeling of frustration and failure at some point.
The said feeling might increase and deepens when a person believes that he will get rid of all of the problems facing him thus generating a feeling of contentment. Besides, this could take him to the vast hopes and numerous dreams of what is waiting for him of success in all streams of life. Therefore a feeling of relief and comfort prevails over him as well as a feeling of hope and optimism for his future. However, when he comes face to face with the reality of his difficulties and problems, he starts feeling the contrary and his hope lessens and is replaced gradually by a feeling of failure and desperation.
I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. To your offspring I will give this land (Genesis 12: 2, 7)
I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth, so that if anyone could count the dust, then your offspring could be counted (Genesis 13:16)
Abraham and Sarah left Ur of Chaldeans towards the land of Canaan based on God’s promise for blessing and offspring. Abraham and Sarah were waiting impatiently God’s blessed promise to have Isaac the son of promise. Sarah was waiting every year that this promise is realized. Ten years passed and nothing happened instead, things became worse: she found herself too old to have children, so as she lost hope of ever having a son, she said :"The Lord has kept me from having children”( Genesis 16:2).
That happens often in our journey of life. We might have large hopes and beautiful dreams in owning a big house, an expensive car for every member of the family, a successful business, high income, a family and children. Our dreams may even be spiritual, hoping He would use us and bless our life. But when the fulfillment of such a dream gets delayed, we lose hope and become frustrated while also if we face many obstacles we lose courage and get desperate. When reality contradicts our expectations and goes against our hopes, we get frustrated. We may take wrong decisions as a result of our feeling of frustration.
That happened to Sara when the delivery of the promise was late for ten years. She made a wrong decision resulting from her frustration. She has convinced Abraham to marry Hagar, her Egyptian maidservant. From Sara’s course of life, we can learn very useful lessons in our journey of life.
Dear reader, do not allow the pressure or stress for need, leads you to frustration. Lift your eyes up to the Lord and look at the Almighty. Be sure that He will fulfill his promise to rejoice the heart, giving Isaac which means laughter. Trust that the Lord will support you while waiting and He will honor you and reward you for it.
Magdy Samuel