That Darn Truck
I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world. (John 16:33)
Last week, I was on my way to the church when I almost got run off the road by a large pickup truck. The temperature was 33 degrees, and 38th Street was sloshy and had high ruts. The pickup driver decided to go around a parked truck just when I arrived, and I had the right of way. Further, the pickup driver was speeding about 45 miles per hour in a 25-zone. Also, the parked car was on the pickup side, so the driver should have waited for me to pass before going around the other vehicle. The speeding pickup swerved around the other truck, hit a rut, and bounced in front of me. Even though I slowed down and moved to the right, the driver still made me hit the brakes. The worst part was that the driver looked at me as if I didn’t deserve to be on the same road. To say I was frustrated was a significant understatement.
For many years, in frustrating moments, I intentionally thought, “Yes, he’s being a jerk, but I will not give him the power to influence my day.” Not being negatively influenced by others must be learned and practiced. In “3 Habits to Turn Everyday Frustrations Into Fuel for Growth,” Thomas Oppong encourages us to respond to the negative intentionally. First, Oppong calls us to “Reframe your perspective.” Oppong recommends, “Reframe difficulties as opportunities to learn, experiment, and refine your skills.” Reframing sounds simple but takes courage. It takes humble honesty to see ourselves and our weaknesses whenever we reflect on ourselves and how we might have responded differently.
Second, we are to “Seek the hidden lesson.” It is frustrating to seek the hidden. Oppong quotes martial arts expert Bruce Lee, “Without frustration you will not discover that you might be able to do something on your own.” We find the hidden in the patterns of how we respond to different situations. When frustrated, do you act and feel the same way, no matter how dissimilar the situation is? Once you acknowledge the hidden action pattern, you can review, learn, and improve your responses. Finally, you can “Rise above, channel your energy.” We can transform our energy once we can reframe and spot our hidden responses. We are now in control of our emotions and not manipulated by others.
Oppong warns us, “Frustration is a powerful energy source. It’s our choice to let it control us or to harness it for good.” Remember, you do not need to go through the challenging process of facing your frustrations alone. When you prayerfully invite the Holy Spirit into your evaluation process, you may diminish your guilt and strengthen your self-confidence. The Spirit calls us to become strong in faith, including trying to master our emotions and remain in control of our decision-making. The effort is emotionally and spiritually rewarding. It keeps us from daydreaming about taking a sledgehammer to a certain pickup truck.