Our finances. It seems we take 2 steps forward, and 3 steps back. At this rate my retirement will be “welcome to Walmart, carts on your left.” I fear I will be in debt until I die! It just about drives me insane.
I’m right there, too. No job, no money, and really struggling to believe that something awesome from God is going to happen when every stinking thing comes to nothing in the end.
I have stopped believing in myself, in my skills, in my own worth. I feel like a failure all of the time. I look at my wife and our home and I remember how close we are to losing it all and I die inside.
Frustration doesn’t begin to define this feeling of absolute defeat.
I am right there with you.
I have not had a job for 8 months now and I have really started to doubt my self worth, the talents that God has given me, and for that matter God’s plan for my life.
I have found one thing though, the little things. God has blessed me with the little things and opportunities that I have worked at remaining faithful and God has blessed me.
I know that is not what you are looking for. But sometimes God is found in the little things that lead to big things.
I pray that God gives you strength to keep doing the little things (including myself in the strength to keep doing these things)
Money. Just as soon as we get a cushion – a bit of breathing room – BAM, our compressor goes out. $900+. Then my fuel pump goes out. $775. We’re trying hard to get some financial margin but it feels like as soon as we get any, something drains it all.
i am frustrated by the lack of continuity between the message the leadership in my church speaks and the difference in appearance of how they live. i.e. we need more money. you need to be more obedient in giving. yet our pastor drives a 60,000$ car and lives in a 500,000$ home and we live in nw indiana where the ave income is 22,000$ so to me that is a huge discrepancy. i don’t care if they have money. i am just concerned that the appearance effects the community. (as does everything we do as followers of Christ, appearance is everything)
That in the blink of an eye my faith in God goes from all in, on fire, total trust to fear, regret, worry and doubt. That this major crossroad is flooded with my insecurities.
I have been in that same situation. It hurts like crazy!! But do not lose faith in her. She needs you and misses you just as you miss her. This new journey in her life is not a choice to exclude you, it is a new way to include you. Look for ways to just be, her friend. Love her through this, be there when she calls, accept her insecurities in her relationship with him. Love her like crazy. She is not leaving you behind, she is bringing you with her, enjoy the journey with her. If nothing else, pray for her. She will always be your friend – a friend loves at all times. Be honest about your feelings, let her know you miss her. She will hear you!
People who want just the safe, normal, ‘good’ kids to be a part of our church/ministry…we are attracting a wide variety right now, and i can tell there are some adults/parents that are queasy about some of the kids coming b/c they might negatively influence the ‘good kids.’ i love how we are attracting more lost kids and marginal kids than usual, and we have a great mix, and exciting things are happening…i just get frustrated knowing how some people think and how Un-Christian that attitude is.
work politics….seems everything anyone does around here is never enough to make upper management happy. very hard to have good spirit about work when you are just waiting for the next reprimand. issues have been brought up to management and yet they just don’t seem to care at all. very frustrating.
Just got married…moved a few states from home to her knew job, and left a job I hated. Completely feel the provision of God right now, but I still see us only scraping by. And the only job that seems to be open for me right now is the job i just left…only a few states from where it was……
Ugh. Lots of things… Frustrated that our fertility hasn’t improved, frustrated (and pretty devastated) about being scammed by a “birth mom”, frustrated with being taken advantage of by my daycare clients, frustrated with how desperately I want to return to college but how difficult it is to go back, frustrated with my restlessness…but mostly frustrated about being frustrated.
THANKFUL for God’s peace and provision…it takes the place of all those silly frustrations.
Wanting to work in WA, but without the funding for transferring my professional license. $330 for the app & $185 for law exam. I’ve been unemployed since Nov ’08 and it S.U.C.K.S.
The best thing you can do to deal with that frustration (and I can totally identify with it!) is to get yourself ready for that starting line (graduation) in the best shape possible…be debt free and work on the skills you’ll need in missions.
Trying to find a youth pastor job, with a gospel focused, Christ exalting church. Graduated bible College 9 months ago and still haven’t landed any where!
With people who show up to church and don’t et changed by the word. I don’t get why they come (I work in a youth group…so I’m talking about them right now). I definitely walked away from tonight’s youth group feeling frustrated and discouraged.
I’ve been in youth ministry for a couple years, and oh-em-gee I know that feeling!
The Bible says that faith comes by hearing, though, and they’re hearing. It’s been my experience that they don’t look like they’re getting it at all for a long time, and then one day the light bulb just goes on.
Stick with it! You’re in one of the most unglamorous, thankless ministries in a local church but they need you!
I’m most frustrated with the church as a whole right now. Im frustrated about the “Christian” versions of everything, frustrated about “the show”, frustrated that we keep feeling like we need to find new programs that are cooler than the old programs to draw the people rather than BEING the culture and going to the people. I’m frustrated that my work schedule makes it difficult for me to get involved in another small group, frustrated that trying to have real, authentic conversations with other Christians is like pulling teeth.
Amen. I am SO ready for radical change into authenticity, creativity, and community. I get frustrated when the room we are in sets the tone and limits us to the “normal behavior” in that particular setting for worship. I’m ready to break strongholds in worship in Jesus’ name and get back to the roots of our faith where, out of love for Christ and love for others, we truly become the Body.
Surprisingly I’m frustrated with very little right now. God provided an answer to prayer without me even having to ask today and that made my day pretty frustration-less.
My health…been hospitalized for two weeks, off work for a month, and it looks like I have another month to go. Not used to being forced to take it easy.
I am frustrated that I can’t use my production skills and passion for the Gospel message in a way that provides for my wife and two daughters all at the same time. That would be amazing.
the fact that i have been praying for years now that God would lead me and move me when He wants to, and that now that He’s starting to nudge me a bit, i’m getting all frustrated. He’s doing what i’ve been praying for and i’m getting upset about it?! absolutely ridiculous! so i’m really more frustrated with myself than anything, i think. ugh.
My current inability to make my flesh submit to my spirit. I resolutely start out my days vowing to overcome food and by the end of the day am beating myself up for letting it get out of hand, yet again. When will it stop!!!! Lord help me
Parents! Not mine…that is for another day.
Im frustrated with parents who invest more time and energy into extracurricular activities like sports, dancing, etc than on their childs spiritual life. When your child gets to Heaven GOd is not going to day “You were great at cheerleading, come on in” OR “All that time you spent at practice got you a place in my Kingdom”.
i don’t get it! Train your child in the way that they should go so when they get old they will not turn away from it.
I have two members of my worship team that don’t show up on time for rehearsals if they show up at all. Oh I forgot to mention they are Father and son. Then one Sunday the son didn’t show up so i mentioned to the father that because he didn’t rehearse, even if he did show up he wasn’t going to play with the team that day… and the father walked out. Both of these people are good friends of mine, it really hurts and frustrates me that they don’t take leading worship seriously enough to even be there on time. I’ve talked to them about it, but i still don’t know if they’re going to play with the team anymore.
Gosh you really opened up a can of worms here…but thanks so much for the chance to vent and be honest.
Honestly I’m frustrated about my lack of willpower to overcome sin in my life. I’m frustrated that every time I think in my heart “Jesus…I love You” every stinking thing I’ve ever done wrong flashes in my mind and I hear these words “Oh YEAH? Well if you really loved Him you’d stop _______ and _____”
I want to be who I’m created to be but without the pain of sacrifice you know? I’m a wimp. A huge, stinking, complaining, wuss pile.
Thing is…I’m pretty positive that Jesus loves me regardless. I just want to love Him back in deed…not words. So…here I go…another day, another helping of grace. Let’s pray I don’t screw it up this time.
Frustrated that I cannot yet go into full time ministry, but the Lord sustains, and is preparing me in His time.
Also frustrated with the “church” the brick and mortar, and how it eats its own. Alastair Bregg said today that the average life span of a pastor in a church today is 20 months.
I’m frustrated with my current job. I’m a worship leader whose stuck in retail. I hate the idea of being a peddler of Capitalism when my own Lord was homeless and never had any credit card debt.
Seeing the coverage of Haiti fall to the wayside. There is so much devastation. It was the big thing right after it happened, but now it is falling out of popularity. Like all the other world disasters that have happened it will be old news in a couple of months and the next time we will see coverage on it will be a year from now on the anniversary.
The people of Haiti still need help. Pray for them daily to rebuild and turn to God for guidance.
While the hardships of situations around the world do frustrate me continuously, at this moment I’m frustrated because I’m working hard this week at church (work) when “they” are calling for another foot of snow. This would mean church will be cancelled and I will be snowed in with my feels-like-a-caged-animal-when-he-can’t-leave husband.
But I had to dig a little for that one. I’m really not too frustrated today.
That me and my wife are working out butts off, and can barley pay the bills, and cannot afford to have health insurance. I’m terrified something will happen to her.
About 5 years ago I took a job that was a good career move but took me backwards financially. Over the course of the next 2 years the company started to implode and I decided it was time to move on.
After almost a year of not getting jobs I should have been a shoe-in for, I finally land a job which is actually ministry-related. Job is great, but money is worse again, and takes me off a stable career path that has the potential to actually damage my longterm job prospects. I rationalize the step down in money and other concerns in terms of it having a better ‘work-like balance’.
So, I am now doing a job that I believe God wants me to be doing but going backwards financially and getting all stressed about money.
To add to it all there have been changes in this new job which means that the workload has doubled and the work-life balance is again out of kilter. Oh, and the money situation hasn’t changed so it’s like my hourly rate has been halved
So, out of all of that, my frustrations are:
* Doing a job I like but not earning enough to support my family.
* Thinking that God wants me in this job but STILL stressed about he money thing (I have been praying – if you want me to be here then help me to trust you and not worry about the money)
* Irritated by christian employers who pay under market rate (they could easily afford to pay more) and justify it by saying they aren’t interested in hiring/rewarding people who are motivated by money. I understand their point but each time i get a check i think ‘how much longer can i afford to keep this job?’.
Writing all that has helped me clarify – my frustration stems from the diametrically opposed issues of doing the job that I feel God wants me to do, but at the same time feeling like I am not being a good steward of my talents (by not earning the money I could) and pushing my family towards financial ruin.
Sorry for the long post. I am sorta hoping that God might have something to say to me on this through one of you guys. So far he has been pretty quiet on the issue directly to me….
Not being able to take my kids out to a restaurant or amusement park without freaking out about how I am going to pay for it.
That, and taking the family on a holiday. Can’t afford to go somewhere nice but they are growing up so quick and if i don’t do it now we may never have another chance again.
Well…i used to be afraid of losing my house…but then I lost it and I still have my wife and children….I used to be afraid of going bankrupt…then I went bankrupt and still have my wife and children. Now I am afraid of losing my job..it is the hardest job I have had in the sense that I can’t seem to get on top of it…even after a year…however…if I look back over the “bad things” God has allowed in past…maybe I don’t have that much to worry about. I am out of the boat with Peter…trying not to look at the water…save me Jesus!
I’m frustrated with my iPhone and Apple. If they rebranded iPhone Voice Dialing as “Accidentally Calling Someone You Met Once in 1994,” Apple would have a HUGE hit on their hands.
Lack of opportunity. I feel like I should be able to create opportunities – but it’s just not working out that way. I feel like I’m working & working & working and it’s just not happening. When trying to start something from the ground is so slow sometimes and I’m just not that patient.
Uhm… I need to use the restroom and I can’t for another 45mins. ( This is no joke) But, seriously, All of my children (4) have had attitude problems this morning. I am also frustrated at myself b/c I keep putting things in front of my devo time with God.
Myself. I feel so lost and confused right now. And its all my own doubting and straying and I know I should be doing things differently but I’m feeling stuck
The church we booked our wedding/reception at doesn’t allow dancing. Oh yeah, and they didn’t tell us this when we reviewed their list of rules in October and booked it. They told us this 4 months before the wedding day and I had to find out from my caterer. Where in the bible does it say “dancing is evil?”
Now I’m kind of frustrated at people who are frustrated with their jobs. I’m working part time, and my husband is being let go in a month, and we don’t have enough in savings for even a month of unemployment. I’ll take your frustrating job off your hands in a heartbeat.
Just went thru a church planting retreat/weekend. I am frustrated that we aren’t kicking the Devils butt more than we are. This game is OURS. We are on His team and we know we win in the end. But we are losing too many folks every day that are going to Hell cause we haven’t fought hard enough to get the message to them.
thanks Morehart. I want to set the world on fire but am challenged to tell my friends that I am turning into a Jesus Freak. One by one. One by one. Breath. One by one. (OK, can I set the world on fire for Jesus now???)
Interesting…I woke up and MADE MYSELF list things I was thankful for in my morning time with God…because I had SUCH a frustrating day yesterday and did not want to repeat it. I’m frustrated because I got pulled over by a cop last week for having “foggy windows”…five feet from my office. And then I received the ticket in the mail yesterday for an EXORBITANT and CRAZY amount. Fiscal crisis, anyone?
The lack of life in the youth group that I just started working in again after an 18 month hiatus. They replaced the youth pastor about 6 months ago and the ministry has suffered. When I was a leader last time, the building we have was full of kids and life from 5pm til 9pm. Kids playing basketball, eating, doing homework, and just hanging out. Now, six months after new leadership, the building is only a 1/4 full a half hour before service starts and it seems so lifeless. There seems to be no relationship between the leadership and the kids. It saddens me to see a once great ministry (we were running btwn 400 and 500 kids at one time, now we’re at about 150) become a skeleton of itself because leadership is not effective.
Why are some adults “allowed” to behave so badly, treat their co-workers so poorly, bully other people and there are no consequences? Repeatedly it is said, “Oh that’s just how XX is”. Why is it permisable for some to ignore the hearts of others and think only of themselves neck-deep in their self-rightous indignation that the world isn’t revolving around them???
Frustrated at iTunes US not letting me buy your EP! I don’t mind getting charged more in the UK, except it’s not available over here! Important as this is, I thank God that this is my only frustration at the moment! God Bless!
I’m frustrated with still not having a job…was laid off last May, graduated from grad school in December & still haven’t found something. I’ve been volunteering a lot, and been able to serve in ways I wouldn’t have if I had a job, but spending months applying for jobs that I know I’m totally qualified for and never hearing back from them is frustrating…
i’m just frustrated with personal issues. Dealt with anxiety as a kid, and now that I’ve been a daddy for a year, my anxiety has returned with a vengeance. It’s crazy stuff like my mom used to deal with before God delivered her.
I’m frustrated with my skepticism. I still rely on myself rather than on God for many of my daily battles and I’m having a hard time trying to set aside quiet time. It always seems to get pushed aside, and I hate that. UGH.
RAIN IT DOWN
you did this on purpose, didn’t you?! haha.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHA
Our finances. It seems we take 2 steps forward, and 3 steps back. At this rate my retirement will be “welcome to Walmart, carts on your left.” I fear I will be in debt until I die! It just about drives me insane.
I understand
I’m becoming frustrated that we haven’t found a worship band for SoulQuench yet.
um… hello?
LOL . . the problem is that SoulQuench a small associational camp . . not a whole lot to offer outside of love and affection.
got it. lol. well if I’m free, honestly, I’d do it.
right on. check your email
so los, what’s your schedule look like?
Seriously I have a bend that would love to be there.
vincenzo . . hit me with a website so i can check it out.
Church Politics
eeeek
i straight up need a job with some cash money. and i am starting to feel like everything on this planet is working against that.
i am either praying toward a job. or praying against the temptation of thinking GOD has no plan in this.
and it can be very frustrating.
but i feel better already just getting that off my chest for the night :]
I’m right there, too. No job, no money, and really struggling to believe that something awesome from God is going to happen when every stinking thing comes to nothing in the end.
I have stopped believing in myself, in my skills, in my own worth. I feel like a failure all of the time. I look at my wife and our home and I remember how close we are to losing it all and I die inside.
Frustration doesn’t begin to define this feeling of absolute defeat.
Emilio. I’m praying for you my friend…
Thank you Carlos.
I am right there with you.
I have not had a job for 8 months now and I have really started to doubt my self worth, the talents that God has given me, and for that matter God’s plan for my life.
I have found one thing though, the little things. God has blessed me with the little things and opportunities that I have worked at remaining faithful and God has blessed me.
I know that is not what you are looking for. But sometimes God is found in the little things that lead to big things.
I pray that God gives you strength to keep doing the little things (including myself in the strength to keep doing these things)
With impatience. Knowing I should rely on God’s timing, which is always perfect.
The future…
The fact that our court system is so crappy!
Money. Just as soon as we get a cushion – a bit of breathing room – BAM, our compressor goes out. $900+. Then my fuel pump goes out. $775. We’re trying hard to get some financial margin but it feels like as soon as we get any, something drains it all.
I feel you. At least the cushion comes BEFORE the disaster, though!
Um….I get it. sucks.
i am frustrated by the lack of continuity between the message the leadership in my church speaks and the difference in appearance of how they live. i.e. we need more money. you need to be more obedient in giving. yet our pastor drives a 60,000$ car and lives in a 500,000$ home and we live in nw indiana where the ave income is 22,000$ so to me that is a huge discrepancy. i don’t care if they have money. i am just concerned that the appearance effects the community. (as does everything we do as followers of Christ, appearance is everything)
That in the blink of an eye my faith in God goes from all in, on fire, total trust to fear, regret, worry and doubt. That this major crossroad is flooded with my insecurities.
today i found out that the drummer in our band is going to be deployed in a few months. he is incredibly faithful and a great drummer too!
Where are you located, I am a drummer in need of a band.
uhm.. my best friend spending 150% of her time with her boyfriend. I need her right now. Its killing me.
I have been in that same situation. It hurts like crazy!! But do not lose faith in her. She needs you and misses you just as you miss her. This new journey in her life is not a choice to exclude you, it is a new way to include you. Look for ways to just be, her friend. Love her through this, be there when she calls, accept her insecurities in her relationship with him. Love her like crazy. She is not leaving you behind, she is bringing you with her, enjoy the journey with her. If nothing else, pray for her. She will always be your friend – a friend loves at all times. Be honest about your feelings, let her know you miss her. She will hear you!
been there done that…it sucks.
Sometimes they need you more then ever.
staying connected with as people get married, have babies, move away. it’s like the world is all running around me and i’m stuck in place.
kate, i know exactly how you feel. i’ve been in that boat for the last few years. i’ll be praying for you!
to be fair, i misspoke, the ave income is $28,900, with a 13% poverty rate. sorry about that.
We know God wants us to plant a church, we just don’t know if the opportunity in front of us is right. SO FRUSTRATING!!!! (yes I am shouting this.)
People who want just the safe, normal, ‘good’ kids to be a part of our church/ministry…we are attracting a wide variety right now, and i can tell there are some adults/parents that are queasy about some of the kids coming b/c they might negatively influence the ‘good kids.’ i love how we are attracting more lost kids and marginal kids than usual, and we have a great mix, and exciting things are happening…i just get frustrated knowing how some people think and how Un-Christian that attitude is.
my health…need healing in a bad way
oh and music…people are picky and opinionated…even with worship music!
very simply, myself
Not really frustrated… but just restless in waiting for what’s next.
college. Stats homework at the moment.
not really knowing where i’m going to live when my parents go back to the mission field in a couple of weeks…
my own lack of discipline.
work politics….seems everything anyone does around here is never enough to make upper management happy. very hard to have good spirit about work when you are just waiting for the next reprimand. issues have been brought up to management and yet they just don’t seem to care at all. very frustrating.
Church leadership condemning, not loving. Being the church that everyone is running away from.
constant stream of illness since december.
Just got married…moved a few states from home to her knew job, and left a job I hated. Completely feel the provision of God right now, but I still see us only scraping by. And the only job that seems to be open for me right now is the job i just left…only a few states from where it was……
being ignored
You are not invisible. Praying for you!
Ugh. Lots of things… Frustrated that our fertility hasn’t improved, frustrated (and pretty devastated) about being scammed by a “birth mom”, frustrated with being taken advantage of by my daycare clients, frustrated with how desperately I want to return to college but how difficult it is to go back, frustrated with my restlessness…but mostly frustrated about being frustrated.
THANKFUL for God’s peace and provision…it takes the place of all those silly frustrations.
I know that frustration. We just eclipsed one year of trying to get pregnant.
ONLINE JOB APPLICATIONS!
My boss
frustrated that i havent got a job after 8months of looking for one…not even any leads.ugh,this is HARD.
Wanting to work in WA, but without the funding for transferring my professional license. $330 for the app & $185 for law exam. I’ve been unemployed since Nov ’08 and it S.U.C.K.S.
knowing i am called to international missions…but i have a year of college left.
The best thing you can do to deal with that frustration (and I can totally identify with it!) is to get yourself ready for that starting line (graduation) in the best shape possible…be debt free and work on the skills you’ll need in missions.
I’m frustrated with the fact I don’t have time to work on writing.
Trying to find a youth pastor job, with a gospel focused, Christ exalting church. Graduated bible College 9 months ago and still haven’t landed any where!
Come to Fellowship Memphis!
With people who show up to church and don’t et changed by the word. I don’t get why they come (I work in a youth group…so I’m talking about them right now). I definitely walked away from tonight’s youth group feeling frustrated and discouraged.
I’ve been in youth ministry for a couple years, and oh-em-gee I know that feeling!
The Bible says that faith comes by hearing, though, and they’re hearing. It’s been my experience that they don’t look like they’re getting it at all for a long time, and then one day the light bulb just goes on.
Stick with it! You’re in one of the most unglamorous, thankless ministries in a local church but they need you!
My car is dying and no matter how much money I drop on it, I’m lonely for true community and I am so discouraged all I want to do it cry.
Wow…hey pity party. Goodness.
I’m most frustrated with the church as a whole right now. Im frustrated about the “Christian” versions of everything, frustrated about “the show”, frustrated that we keep feeling like we need to find new programs that are cooler than the old programs to draw the people rather than BEING the culture and going to the people. I’m frustrated that my work schedule makes it difficult for me to get involved in another small group, frustrated that trying to have real, authentic conversations with other Christians is like pulling teeth.
Amen. I am SO ready for radical change into authenticity, creativity, and community. I get frustrated when the room we are in sets the tone and limits us to the “normal behavior” in that particular setting for worship. I’m ready to break strongholds in worship in Jesus’ name and get back to the roots of our faith where, out of love for Christ and love for others, we truly become the Body.
Surprisingly I’m frustrated with very little right now. God provided an answer to prayer without me even having to ask today and that made my day pretty frustration-less.
My health…been hospitalized for two weeks, off work for a month, and it looks like I have another month to go. Not used to being forced to take it easy.
I am frustrated that I can’t use my production skills and passion for the Gospel message in a way that provides for my wife and two daughters all at the same time. That would be amazing.
That Jesus hasn’t come back yet. I’m ready for it to be done
My daughter’s health, can’t get a diagnosis! : (
the fact that i have been praying for years now that God would lead me and move me when He wants to, and that now that He’s starting to nudge me a bit, i’m getting all frustrated. He’s doing what i’ve been praying for and i’m getting upset about it?! absolutely ridiculous! so i’m really more frustrated with myself than anything, i think. ugh.
Apart from inadequate finances, which I have learned to live with and so don’t frustrate me much…
“Recent decisions made on my behalf, without any consultation, which affect my artistic integrity”
Thank you for providing a place to vent
Not being at home in Hong Kong… :’(
Having to still deal with issues that should’ve been buried 4 years ago… feeling like it will never end…
My current inability to make my flesh submit to my spirit. I resolutely start out my days vowing to overcome food and by the end of the day am beating myself up for letting it get out of hand, yet again. When will it stop!!!! Lord help me
That I can’t find humble dedicated people to serve in the worship ministry!
My continual up and down wave of feeling god’s presence and not.
And…My teeth!
Well, I’m not frustrated about much of anything, but I will certainly pray for all of those above me.
frustrated that your EP is only available on the US store, and not in the UK… and hardcopys available?
Frustrated that I see myself going through the daily motions of life without a way out.
Parents! Not mine…that is for another day.
Im frustrated with parents who invest more time and energy into extracurricular activities like sports, dancing, etc than on their childs spiritual life. When your child gets to Heaven GOd is not going to day “You were great at cheerleading, come on in” OR “All that time you spent at practice got you a place in my Kingdom”.
i don’t get it! Train your child in the way that they should go so when they get old they will not turn away from it.
Just saying….
I have two members of my worship team that don’t show up on time for rehearsals if they show up at all. Oh I forgot to mention they are Father and son. Then one Sunday the son didn’t show up so i mentioned to the father that because he didn’t rehearse, even if he did show up he wasn’t going to play with the team that day… and the father walked out. Both of these people are good friends of mine, it really hurts and frustrates me that they don’t take leading worship seriously enough to even be there on time. I’ve talked to them about it, but i still don’t know if they’re going to play with the team anymore.
my job!!!!!!!!!!!
Gosh you really opened up a can of worms here…but thanks so much for the chance to vent and be honest.
Honestly I’m frustrated about my lack of willpower to overcome sin in my life. I’m frustrated that every time I think in my heart “Jesus…I love You” every stinking thing I’ve ever done wrong flashes in my mind and I hear these words “Oh YEAH? Well if you really loved Him you’d stop _______ and _____”
I want to be who I’m created to be but without the pain of sacrifice you know? I’m a wimp. A huge, stinking, complaining, wuss pile.
Thing is…I’m pretty positive that Jesus loves me regardless. I just want to love Him back in deed…not words. So…here I go…another day, another helping of grace. Let’s pray I don’t screw it up this time.
identify with so many of these posts. don’t think i could state it any better…
Frustrated that I cannot yet go into full time ministry, but the Lord sustains, and is preparing me in His time.
Also frustrated with the “church” the brick and mortar, and how it eats its own. Alastair Bregg said today that the average life span of a pastor in a church today is 20 months.
I’m frustrated with my current job. I’m a worship leader whose stuck in retail. I hate the idea of being a peddler of Capitalism when my own Lord was homeless and never had any credit card debt.
Seeing the coverage of Haiti fall to the wayside. There is so much devastation. It was the big thing right after it happened, but now it is falling out of popularity. Like all the other world disasters that have happened it will be old news in a couple of months and the next time we will see coverage on it will be a year from now on the anniversary.
The people of Haiti still need help. Pray for them daily to rebuild and turn to God for guidance.
While the hardships of situations around the world do frustrate me continuously, at this moment I’m frustrated because I’m working hard this week at church (work) when “they” are calling for another foot of snow. This would mean church will be cancelled and I will be snowed in with my feels-like-a-caged-animal-when-he-can’t-leave husband.
But I had to dig a little for that one. I’m really not too frustrated today.
That me and my wife are working out butts off, and can barley pay the bills, and cannot afford to have health insurance. I’m terrified something will happen to her.
My job. My story. Or lack thereof.
That our annual state-wide womens retreat is tomorrow and Saturday and we have a major snowstorm headed this way! Grrrrrrrr……February in Indiana!
Not having a job… first time in 25 years!
My job & my family’s financial well-being….
About 5 years ago I took a job that was a good career move but took me backwards financially. Over the course of the next 2 years the company started to implode and I decided it was time to move on.
After almost a year of not getting jobs I should have been a shoe-in for, I finally land a job which is actually ministry-related. Job is great, but money is worse again, and takes me off a stable career path that has the potential to actually damage my longterm job prospects. I rationalize the step down in money and other concerns in terms of it having a better ‘work-like balance’.
So, I am now doing a job that I believe God wants me to be doing but going backwards financially and getting all stressed about money.
To add to it all there have been changes in this new job which means that the workload has doubled and the work-life balance is again out of kilter. Oh, and the money situation hasn’t changed so it’s like my hourly rate has been halved
So, out of all of that, my frustrations are:
* Doing a job I like but not earning enough to support my family.
* Thinking that God wants me in this job but STILL stressed about he money thing (I have been praying – if you want me to be here then help me to trust you and not worry about the money)
* Irritated by christian employers who pay under market rate (they could easily afford to pay more) and justify it by saying they aren’t interested in hiring/rewarding people who are motivated by money. I understand their point but each time i get a check i think ‘how much longer can i afford to keep this job?’.
Writing all that has helped me clarify – my frustration stems from the diametrically opposed issues of doing the job that I feel God wants me to do, but at the same time feeling like I am not being a good steward of my talents (by not earning the money I could) and pushing my family towards financial ruin.
Sorry for the long post. I am sorta hoping that God might have something to say to me on this through one of you guys. So far he has been pretty quiet on the issue directly to me….
Not being able to take my kids out to a restaurant or amusement park without freaking out about how I am going to pay for it.
That, and taking the family on a holiday. Can’t afford to go somewhere nice but they are growing up so quick and if i don’t do it now we may never have another chance again.
Well…i used to be afraid of losing my house…but then I lost it and I still have my wife and children….I used to be afraid of going bankrupt…then I went bankrupt and still have my wife and children. Now I am afraid of losing my job..it is the hardest job I have had in the sense that I can’t seem to get on top of it…even after a year…however…if I look back over the “bad things” God has allowed in past…maybe I don’t have that much to worry about. I am out of the boat with Peter…trying not to look at the water…save me Jesus!
sounds trivial, but… I”m a lil frustrated that “Arrested Development” is off the air
I’m frustrated with my iPhone and Apple. If they rebranded iPhone Voice Dialing as “Accidentally Calling Someone You Met Once in 1994,” Apple would have a HUGE hit on their hands.
Being sick. I don’t have time to be sick. I have to many projects that need to be done for me to be sick.
Lack of opportunity. I feel like I should be able to create opportunities – but it’s just not working out that way. I feel like I’m working & working & working and it’s just not happening. When trying to start something from the ground is so slow sometimes and I’m just not that patient.
Uhm… I need to use the restroom and I can’t for another 45mins. ( This is no joke) But, seriously, All of my children (4) have had attitude problems this morning. I am also frustrated at myself b/c I keep putting things in front of my devo time with God.
The fact that I’m in India and some dude is playing his accordion outside my freaking window right now
that’s hilarious
Myself. I feel so lost and confused right now. And its all my own doubting and straying and I know I should be doing things differently but I’m feeling stuck
Pray. Ask God to help you get unstuck. He will. He is CEO of changing things!!!
The church we booked our wedding/reception at doesn’t allow dancing. Oh yeah, and they didn’t tell us this when we reviewed their list of rules in October and booked it. They told us this 4 months before the wedding day and I had to find out from my caterer. Where in the bible does it say “dancing is evil?”
I doesn’t. Ask David
Frustrated with my job, frustrated that I’ve been looking for a new one for a year, to no avail.
As of yesterday, Uganda may not allow International Adoptions anymore. You can read some details @ http://www.heirswithchrist.com
There are tons of families that are there right now with their babies and may have to leave them there or move to Uganda.
Pray for these families and babies in Uganda.
Now I’m kind of frustrated at people who are frustrated with their jobs. I’m working part time, and my husband is being let go in a month, and we don’t have enough in savings for even a month of unemployment. I’ll take your frustrating job off your hands in a heartbeat.
My ever growing To-Do list. Can’t seem to make it shrink no matter how hard I work.
the lack of genuine love and authentic passion for Jesus Christ, and truly living how he has called us to live… on my Christian college campus..
sometimes I feel so alone in my vision.. its overwhelming
Adoption going nowhere still
I’m frustrated at folks who can’t speak about spiritual things without doing it in “King James speak”.
Totally agree here. The ones that frustrate me even more are the ones whose entire conversations consist of Christian ‘catch phrases’.
Just went thru a church planting retreat/weekend. I am frustrated that we aren’t kicking the Devils butt more than we are. This game is OURS. We are on His team and we know we win in the end. But we are losing too many folks every day that are going to Hell cause we haven’t fought hard enough to get the message to them.
It’s all about breaking down walls…one by one!
thanks Morehart. I want to set the world on fire but am challenged to tell my friends that I am turning into a Jesus Freak. One by one. One by one. Breath. One by one. (OK, can I set the world on fire for Jesus now???)
Is God really pushing me back into ministry or is my ego leading the way?
Wow…yeah. I get that one… Great question to ponder and pray on.
Interesting…I woke up and MADE MYSELF list things I was thankful for in my morning time with God…because I had SUCH a frustrating day yesterday and did not want to repeat it. I’m frustrated because I got pulled over by a cop last week for having “foggy windows”…five feet from my office. And then I received the ticket in the mail yesterday for an EXORBITANT and CRAZY amount. Fiscal crisis, anyone?
The lack of life in the youth group that I just started working in again after an 18 month hiatus. They replaced the youth pastor about 6 months ago and the ministry has suffered. When I was a leader last time, the building we have was full of kids and life from 5pm til 9pm. Kids playing basketball, eating, doing homework, and just hanging out. Now, six months after new leadership, the building is only a 1/4 full a half hour before service starts and it seems so lifeless. There seems to be no relationship between the leadership and the kids. It saddens me to see a once great ministry (we were running btwn 400 and 500 kids at one time, now we’re at about 150) become a skeleton of itself because leadership is not effective.
I am frustrated that people don’t “get” the importance and timeliness of adoption. Its Gods heart- why can’t we grasp that!?
Why are some adults “allowed” to behave so badly, treat their co-workers so poorly, bully other people and there are no consequences? Repeatedly it is said, “Oh that’s just how XX is”. Why is it permisable for some to ignore the hearts of others and think only of themselves neck-deep in their self-rightous indignation that the world isn’t revolving around them???
For me, it’s blogging.
Frustrated at iTunes US not letting me buy your EP! I don’t mind getting charged more in the UK, except it’s not available over here! Important as this is, I thank God that this is my only frustration at the moment! God Bless!
I’m frustrated that it’s 2:17, which means this lecture I’m sitting in won’t end for another 43 minutes.
I might not last that long…
my husband being out of a job.
I’m frustrated with still not having a job…was laid off last May, graduated from grad school in December & still haven’t found something. I’ve been volunteering a lot, and been able to serve in ways I wouldn’t have if I had a job, but spending months applying for jobs that I know I’m totally qualified for and never hearing back from them is frustrating…
That Excellence was not included in our Ethos
whose? yours or your churches?
My Church. But your right, I’m part of it also
That the title “Creative Director” or “Strategy Director” doesn’t appear to exist in churches.
This single parenting thing is kicking my butt right now. And I need Adderall.
i’m just frustrated with personal issues. Dealt with anxiety as a kid, and now that I’ve been a daddy for a year, my anxiety has returned with a vengeance. It’s crazy stuff like my mom used to deal with before God delivered her.
Not being able to talk with my friends. I feel so disconnected with all of them. Switching schools sucks!
Tax debt… it’s always debt that frustrates me more than anything!
I’m frustrated with my skepticism. I still rely on myself rather than on God for many of my daily battles and I’m having a hard time trying to set aside quiet time. It always seems to get pushed aside, and I hate that. UGH.
Having to honor commitments I never should’ve made.
Men….Ugh dating when you are in your 30s isn’t fun!