Ephesians 4:26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:

It is not a sin to be angry. Anger is only an emotion, a feeling. Anger in and of itself does nothing external, outside your mind. Anger is a natural state. We will get angry. It is what you do about anger that is important. Do you let it stew until the pot boils over and you explode? Then you have sinned, you have allowed it to affect others.

We are encouraged to deal with anger, not to allow it to continue. I have found from experience that I get most angry about things that are not within my control. I have allowed frustration to become something more than it ought to be. Note the colon at the end of verse 26? Something completes this thought.

Ephesians 4:27 Neither give place to the devil.

Satan is like a fox that hears a wounded rabbit whimper, he comes a running. I don’t want to have to deal with Satan. I don’t need to hear his lies and I care not to be harassed by him. So anger should be dealt with as quickly as possible. Before the sun sets, meaning deal with it now. One other piece of good advice followed this verse in connection with anger.

Ephesians 4:29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

The last thing that your friends and brothers and sisters in Christ need is for us to fuel the frustration and anger that they share. Just because you agree with shared anger with a brother or sister does not mean that Christ is in agreement with you. Speak and pray peace over the issues. Let grace lead you to His will and perhaps His plans for you.

It is impossible to hear a still small voice while screaming.

Jeremiah 29:11-13 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.

Yesterday I spoke about trust and what some of the symptoms that we might manifest in our lives because we do not trust God. I believe that frustration is one of them. We are asked to walk by faith, yet faith is the evidence of things unseen. It is easier to trust in things we can see and examine. Abraham was asked to go to a place where God would show him. The start was a leap of faith because God asked Abraham to move before He gave Abraham directions.

Have you ever driven someone to a place you have never been and you listen for their directions. Frustration sets in if you miss a turn. Communication is vital in making it to the final destination. It would be so much easier if we knew their mind, it would eliminate any errors in listening, distractions, misunderstanding. You would know the path, the way.

1 Corinthians 2:16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? but we have the mind of Christ.

Frustration for Christians sets in when we choose to listen to our thoughts and not His. Frustration sets in when we choose our path rather than His way. Frustration sets in when we discover our plans do not match His plans for us.

I find the issue of thoughts very telling in the opening verse. It is not God’s will, it is His thoughts. God’s will is paramount, it cannot be frustrated. His thoughts are something which is part of the communication process. He is willing to share His thoughts, but are we listening?

Isaiah 30:21 And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.

God only said “Turn here.” Having the mind of Christ, you know left or right.