The Heartbreak Of Frustration Series

The Heartbreak of Frustration

Scripture: I Corinthians 6:19

Theme: When our hearts are broken by frustration, God will use that pain to teach us faithfulness,

brokenness and perseverance, shaping us into what he wants us to be so that he can use

us for His glory.

Seed: Devotional by Oswald Chambers

Purpose: To help the congregation understand that God is faithful to us and even though situations

and people in life may frustrate us; God will use the pain of our frustration to teach us

patience, obedience and faithfulness so that we may be more fully made in the image of

Christ.

Series: Thank God for Broken Hearts

Introduction: Frustration. The word “frustrate” means; To prevent from accomplishing a purpose or fulfilling a desire. Let’s face it, frustration can be…well…frustrating. No one likes to be prevented from accomplishing a purpose. None of us want to be prevented from fulfilling a desire. Our desires, our purpose help define who we are and when we cannot achieve them we feel empty, hurt and broken. In short, frustration can break our hearts.

This week I’m concluding the series of messages entitled “Thank God for Broken Hearts.” Over the past two weeks we’ve seen how God can take the pain of disappointment and the pain of abandonment and use them to shape us so that we can be used by Him.

We don’t like pain, we don’t like broken hearts and often we wonder why God would even allow such pain into our lives if he loves us. But the fact is that God is not as concerned about your comfort as much as he is concerned about our character. And our character is best shaped through the painful circumstances of life. C.S. Lewis once said that “God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks to us in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: It is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world.” God loves us so much that he is willing to allow us to endure the pain of a broken heart in order that we might become more than we currently are.

As I’ve said for the past two weeks. Our pain is not our own. Our broken hearts are not about us. We have a tendency to believe that our pain is our own, that it’s about us. But if we know Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior then our pain is not our own.

I mentioned Oswald Chambers’ remarks two weeks ago, but let me revisit them for a moment. He puts it like this.

“There is no such thing as a private life for a man or woman who is brought into fellowship with Jesus Christ’s sufferings. God breaks up the private life of His saints and makes it a thoroughfare for the world on the one hand and for Himself on the other”

The Apostle Paul, in the book of first Corinthians states it this way,

”You do not belong to yourself”

I Corinthians 6:19b (NLT)

Your pain is not your own. God uses our pain, our broken hearts, for the good of others. He uses our pain so that we may be a part of his plan for redeeming this fallen world. The pain of disappointment is not yours alone. Moses discovered that. The pain of abandonment is not yours alone. Joseph discovered that. And the pain of frustration is not yours alone either. David discovered that truth.

Today, as we explore the heartbreak of frustration, we are going to explore the life of David. David was one of the greatest kings Israel ever knew. David was considered to be a man after God’s own heart – God said that, not David. But David’s life was full of frustration. David understood what it meant to have your heart broken by frustrating circumstances and frustrating people.

Let’s take a look at David’s life and see what lessons we can learn in frustration. Let’s see what we can thank God for the broken heart of frustration.

[Tell David’s Story Here]

• David was anointed by the Prophet Samuel to replace Saul as king of Israel. David is a young man…in his late teens

• David is summoned by Saul (who doesn’t know David has been anointed to replace him) to play music for him and calm his troubled mind

• David goes to visit his brothers in the army and fights Goliath

• David is made a national hero and becomes a part of Saul’s royal court. David and Saul’s son Jonathon become close friends…a friendship that will last for the rest of Jonathon’s life.

• Saul becomes jealous of David’s popularity and attempts to take David’s life.

• David is forced to flee from Saul to save his life.

• David is invited back by Saul, but again Saul tries to kill him.