Day 2: It's Okay To Feel Frustrated

Disappointment and frustration are totally normal, everyday responses that we express during traumatic events. There is nothing wrong with them. Growing up in church, individuals are socialised to repress their emotions, don a “happy” mask, and bleat platitudes of “god is good” in the face of adversity. Outside of church, the phrase “someone else always has it worse” is a common diversion tactic. These ideas can help put your issues into perspective, but they are not healthy coping mechanisms alone. Feeling something is not a sin.

Here are some examples of well-known Bible characters expressing their own fears, frustration and pain during times of suffering:

Job

“Why died I not from the womb? why did I not give up the ghost when I came out of the belly?” (Job 3:11)

Paul

And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. (2 Corinthians 12:7)

Elijah

But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers. (1 Kings 19:4)

Jeremiah

Woe is me, my mother, that thou hast borne me a man of strife and a man of contention to the whole earth! I have neither lent on usury, nor men have lent to me on usury; yet every one of them doth curse me. (Jeremiah 15:10)

Interestingly, in all the examples above, the sufferers were expressing their pain directly to God. In all instances, they received advice, compassion, some admonishment, and empathy in response. So why do we force others to forsake the emotions that are so natural to our experience? Even Jesus cried to his father on the cross, as did he pray for the task to be taken from him.

Frustration, anger and disappointment naturally appear with suffering. These emotions are part of the healing process. When you finally make it through your crisis, you can then empathise with others, or help a loved one heal during their own problems, too. Emotions make us human.