frustration

Faith or Give Up

/ Robert Bruton / Leave a comment

What happens when you stay in faith even amid ruin? I can actually answer that!

Last month was shaping up to be brutal income wise. Negativity, in my own mind, was snowballing to the point I was in a very dark place. My day job is sales, and we no longer get commission vouchers to know where we are during the month with no real way to track. Not the fairest method to manage sales people “not my monkey not my circus.”

Handed deal after deal saying credit was not sufficient to purchase. Yet no notes that the company even tried beyond sending it in. Finance you have to walk on more difficult credit customers. Since this was my job for the last 25 plus years of my career. Particularly hard for me when I know some could be deals.

hope, prayer, freedom

Letting all this get to me it clouded my brain. Frustration took over.

Somehow through all of this, I mustered up the courage to continue to let God know that I was still here. Over-and-over I would say, “God has me.” Staring a mountain of debt in the face each month is tedious.

During the month, I would take time to just let God know I don’t see a way, so please make a way. I freely admit most of the time, I was really stressing out. Somehow though I was able to show God that it might only be a mustard seed of faith, I have hope.

Finally arrived pay-day. Contemplated how I would survive the month, what was I going to lose, on-and-on. Had asked God many times to please show me he is with me, that I don’t want to be in this dark hole.

My friend, who works in accounting stopped in my office to hand me my paycheck. As I sat in my chair, bracing myself for the worst. Opening the envelope to immediately look at the dollar amount. I had to stare at it for a moment to realize it was so much more than I imagined it would be. “Oh, my” and I began to cry.

Not only could I meet the obligations, but I also have enough left to pay extra. Not any other time in my life did I feel so humbled.

Keep in mind we are not privy to our income. Sales commissions can range from $100 to thousands, but we have no real way to know. So opening your paycheck is literally like seeing a lottery ticket. It may win big or may not win at all.

The point to all of this is, stay in faith. Even when you cannot see a way, a way is being made if you let God know, do the work you need to every day. I admit honestly if giving myself a grade, it would be a D-, yet as the bible says:

Matthew 17:20 King James Version (KJV)

20 And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; it shall remove; nothing shall be impossible unto you.

We all struggle through tough moments, and it is very hard not to lose faith and hope. For many years in my life, something like this last month, I would have thrown in the towel long before God could provide a miracle.

You just have to talk to God.

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Frustration get rid of It

/ Robert Bruton / Leave a comment

As the title would suggest getting rid of frustration, well easier said than done. The good news it’s possible to condition ourselves to at least shake it off quicker.

Frustration can if we allow it to be debilitating to some and stifling to others. We all get frustrated with work problems, relationship problems, and life in general. Our lives are moving as quickly forward as we would like for example.

self help, prayer, happy

Here are a few simple tasks to be done that can help relieve frustration:

  1. Take a minute or two several times a day to just breathe. A couple of deep cleansing breaths. A minute or so of just breathing in through the nose and out through the mouth. Relax.
  2. Whatever it is that frustrates you write down what the outcome you would like to have to overcome the frustration. Then focus on that. Put this up like an affirmation everywhere you can. The result, not the problem!
  3. When appropriate talk it out. Get someone you respect to offer a new perspective. You don’t necessarily have to agree, but you can see that alternatives do exist.
  4. Get out and walk. Clear your head. Go somewhere where you can take in beautiful trees, nature, or just a place that you find calming. Enjoy a calming walk, focus on what’s around you soak up the environment. Leave your woe’s in the car.
  5. Turn the frustration on its head. Look at what’s happening as a game challenge. To get to the next level, you have to concur where you are. Look for solutions vs. focusing on the frustration itself.

Nothing hard about these few things that you can do to help you overcome frustration. Focus your attention on the end result of where you would like to be. The path to get their will come clear as you believe for the outcome you desire.

Open your heart to possibility. Even if the outcome is not what you desire. Look at the bigger picture, perhaps God is clearing this out to make room for what your destiny indeed is. Sometimes, we must let go of toxic situations to gain our real promise. Be open in your heart, and this will come clear to you.

Smile, breathe and go take a walk!

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