Daily Journey: Day 215

Frustration Can Make a Bad Situation Worse

Scripture (ESV)

“Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger.” — Ephesians 4:26

Anyone who’s spent time leading people knows how frustrating it can be when something that should’ve been handled keeps becoming a problem. You may have already addressed the issue, and now you’re having the same conversation again.

I’ve learned that frustration can affect how we communicate long before we recognize what’s happening. We may have a legitimate concern, but the way we express it can make the person defensive before they’ve even considered what we’re saying.

Paul doesn’t suggest we’ll never experience anger. He tells us to be careful about what we do with it. That’s important because a problem doesn’t become less legitimate simply because we’re frustrated. We still need to handle it in a way that helps rather than making matters worse.

Why this matters

Frustration can interfere with our ability to address legitimate problems. How we communicate often determines whether someone can actually hear what needs to change.

Reflection

Is there a situation where your frustration has started affecting how you’re communicating with someone?

Word of the Day

Frustration: The emotional response we experience when circumstances repeatedly fail to meet our expectations.

“Be angry and do not sin…” — Ephesians 4:26 (ESV)