Following and Trusting : Encountering God Out of the Box

Take note of the thing—or the person—that frustrates you the most.  

Pause for a moment.

Breathe.  

Notice what or who rises in your heart?

Frustration has a way of revealing something deeper—something that often points even to our calling. But too often, we rush to fix the problem (or the person), to control the outcome, or to make sense of it all in our own strength.  

Yet, Scripture reminds us:  

“Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the Lord of Hosts.”  

— Zechariah 4:6

When we surrender our own strategies and instead ask the Lord,  

“What is Your dream over this situation, or this person?”

…we step into divine partnership rather than human striving.  

🌿 A Different Kind of Response  

It’s natural to want to fix things. But heaven’s way is different.  

Instead of fighting the frustration, what if you rested in it—letting it become a holy pause where you can listen for God’s heart?  

“The joy of the Lord is your strength.”  

— Nehemiah 8:10 

When joy and rest become your default instead of striving, you shift your focus from self-effort to God’s empowerment.  

In that place, transformation begins—not just in your circumstances, but in your character.  

💡 Learning from Moses  

Moses had a sense of calling long before God sent him back to Egypt. But when he tried to act on his own timing and strength, he ended up killing an Egyptian (Exodus 2:11–15).  

The result? Forty years in the wilderness.  

God didn’t reject Moses—He refined him.  

He waited until Moses learned that deliverance isn’t driven by human might, but by divine partnership.

You and I face crossroads every day.  

Will we foolishly try to force God’s hand through our impatience and control?  

Or will we wait on His timing, trusting His strength to accomplish His purposes through us?  

🔑 A Shift in Focus  

Frustration invites a question of focus:  

– Am I focused on myself — my limits, my plans, my reputation?  

– On others — their actions, their opinions, their failures?  

– On circumstances —what’s not working, what feels stuck?  

– Or on the Lord Himself —who He is, what He’s saying, and how He’s revealing His heart?  

“You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in You, all whose thoughts are fixed on You.”   — Isaiah 26:3

Perfect peace doesn’t come from problem-solving—it comes from presence.  

🕊 Prayer  

Take a few moments with the Lord today.  

Let Him meet you in the very space where you feel most frustrated.  

Ask Him:  

– “Lord, what do You see when You look at this situation?”  

– “What is Your dream or redemptive purpose in this?”  

– “What part of Your nature do You want to reveal to me here?”  

– “What would it look like to partner with You instead of striving on my own?”  

– “How do You want to strengthen me through joy and rest?”  

Listen for His whisper.  

It may come as a Scripture, an impression, or a sense of peace that surpasses understanding.  

🌸 Closing Thought  

Your frustration might be the birthplace of your calling.  

But it will only lead to fruitfulness when it’s surrendered to the Lord.  

Let Him transform what irritates you into intercession.  

Let Him turn your striving into strength.  

Let Him make your frustration a divine invitation to walk in partnership with His Spirit.  

“Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust Him, and He will help you.”  

— Psalm 37:5

Bless you to turn to the Lord with each frustration, to let Him take you higher!

Merri Ellen 🙂

PPS…

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Enjoy the books: “God, Show Me What You See” or “God, Show Me More of You