Frustrated and Discouraged

Do you ever get tired of dealing with people who don't "get it?" Having a high set of expectations for others can quickly lead to frustration and discouragement.

Galatians 6:1-10 (NLT)

Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ. If you think you are too important to help someone, you are only fooling yourself. You are not that important.

Pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and you won’t need to compare yourself to anyone else. For we are each responsible for our own conduct....

Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant. Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith.

I'm reminded of Elijah's "I'm the only one left" conversation with God in 1 Kings 19. Or, Peter's questioning Jesus' about His plans for John and Jesus' response "what is that to you, you must follow me." We can easily get caught up in worrying about what others are doing or discouraged and frustrated because others don't "get it."

In the Galatians passage above, Paul admonishes us to focus on doing good -- or in other words, focus on doing what is right. Recognize that others may struggle and may need our encouragement rather than our judgement. Bring kindness back into your life. It's a lost art. Do what's right. Trust God to take care of everything else. After all, he said that he would build his church. Don't allow yourself to be worn down when you know you're doing what is right. Encourage others, pray for them, and stay focused on doing good regardless of whether those around you get it or not.