Frustration and the Power of Purpose
Frustration in life often stems from not realizing or understanding one’s purpose. Jonah found himself moving in the opposite direction of where God had called him, which led to challenges because he misunderstood God's intentions (Jonah 1:1-3). Similarly, many people today experience frustration, not because it’s meant to be part of their journey, but because they misinterpret or misunderstand God’s will for their lives.
The Bible says, “Where there is no vision, the people perish” (Proverbs 29:18 KJV). What is vision? Vision is God’s will, His design, and His dream for you. People perish when they lack vision because they are not aligned with God’s purpose for their lives. The Bible also says, “Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain” (Psalm 127:1), showing that frustration, vanity, and discontent often come from not being aligned with God’s purpose.
How then do you align yourself with God's purpose? The Bible says, “Narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it” (Matthew 7:14 NKJV). The narrow path is often seen as difficult to walk, but it's not the walking that's hard—it's finding the path that's challenging. God’s will is frequently found in places that stretch your comfort zone. Take the children of Israel, for example: God promised them the land of Canaan, but it was inhabited by giants (Numbers 13:30-33). It would have been easy for them to doubt if this was truly God's promise especially if they focused on the giants, but the giants were part of it. Resistance doesn’t mean that God hasn’t called you .
The reason the path is narrow is that many people are unwilling to pay the price required to enter that place of purpose. There is always a price to be paid for a high calling, but the price isn’t your own—it’s His. Many believe that to enter into God’s will, things must be difficult. But the Bible says, “To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams” (1 Samuel 15:22 NIV). Sacrifice involves hardship, but obedience grants you access to the blessing. Many are not walking in God's blessing, they assumed he wanted sacrifice when he just wanted you to be obedient, they didn’t fully submit to God’s leading.
Look at the story of David. When the prophet Samuel went to Jesse’s house to anoint the next king, David wasn’t initially considered (1 Samuel 16:1-13). Though his brothers were present, they hadn’t undergone the same training as David. David was qualified because of the time he had spent as a shepherd. His brothers could have been chosen, as the kingship was to rest on the house of Judah, but their lack of preparation disqualified them from the promise. While tending the flock, David learned essential lessons: a king must be both a shepherd and a warrior. His experience defending his sheep, by killing the lion and the bear, prepared him to defeat Goliath (1 Samuel 17:34-37). God always leads you through a season of training to equip you for your assignment.
If you resist the training season, you won’t have the substance necessary to sustain what God wants to do in the coming season. Before any season, God allows you to undergo training to prepare you for what’s next. David’s training included worship, which cultivated a heart attuned to God’s voice (Psalm 23:1; 2 Samuel 6:14). Each experience David went through equipped him for the position God had in store for him.
Many of you may feel frustrated because you didn’t fully yield to God’s training during your preparation season. There is always an instruction that precedes your journey. So, what season are you in? Are you in the season of training, or are you in a season where you’re meant to apply the training God has given you?
Another challenge for many Christians is managing their expectations. The Bible says, “The expectations of the righteous shall not be cut off” (Proverbs 23:18 KJV). But who are the righteous? A righteous person is someone in right standing with God, meaning they are aligned with God’s will and purpose. Their expectations are not merely their own; they are God’s expectations, placed in their hearts through their alignment with His will.
The reason the expectations of the righteous are never cut off is that they are positioned in a way that allows them to enter into God’s promises. “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” (Jeremiah 29:11 NIV). God has a promise for you, but it takes those who are willing to yield to His training to access the inheritance He has prepared. I want you to have access to that inheritance, and I believe that as you align with God’s purpose, you will.
God bless you.
