Frustration and Liberation
Dear friends, today I continue to share with you about the intellect. We shared yesterday on light and darkness and how both of these influence the way our intellect (which means our mind and thoughts) operate. Today we share about two ends of the intellect: frustration and liberation. Very often, and quite so, without realising, the way of our thoughts end up in either of these two: either they are frustrated or they are liberated. What sadness to be frustrated, and what happiness to be liberated! We walk on the roads, lanes and the highways of our thoughts daily either ending up in frustration or liberation.
What is frustration? Imagine the problems we struggle with daily: depending on our age or circumstance, they are different. A child thinks mostly of pleasure in play, how to win a game, about enjoyment from moment to moment - and depending on their upbringing and exposure, children choose from quiet pastimes such as drawing or painting to the more noisy ones, from quiet games and games which engage others and trigger cycles of joy and laughter to other modern ones which challenge their reactive skills and encourage a certain pride in strength, which seek the destruction of virtual enemies by guns and swords. Girls may think of dolls and their thoughts revolve around make-believe lives and conversations, apparel and relationships.
As we become older, our thoughts change drastically - apart from the times when study or duty force us to concentrate on the tasks at hand, our thoughts again range from pleasure in relationships and pleasure in passions, with many wasted hours. The Book of Sirach tells us, "From the one who sits on a glorious throne to the wretch in dust and ashes, from the one who wears purple and a crown to the one dressed in sacking, all is fury and jealousy, turmoil and unrest, fear of death, rivalry, strife." (Sirach 40.3-4). Very often at the end of various considerations that pass through the minds of every human being, at the end appears frustration. This frustration is clearly apparent on their faces of most people. Just enter into a public transport and gaze at faces! Sometimes, alas, looking at our own faces in the morning reveal to us the sad state of our minds.
But let us not give up hope! There is a good news waiting for troubled hearts! There is One who makes the widow's heart sing songs of joy; there is One Who makes prisoners shout forth; there is One who makes the desert a green and watered spring garden; there is one who gladdens a maiden with a loving spouse; there is one who gladdens similarly the heart of a young man with the spouse created to be his help and support; there is One who provides rich bread and sweet water to the tired; there is One who makes gladness ring out from sad hearts! His Name is Jesus; when He steps into a house, the dead awakes! Life and health spring up before Him, His Name is "Christ"! The Scriptures tell us "but none of them thinks of saying, ‘Where is God, my Maker, who makes glad songs ring out at night?" (Job 35.10)
Dear friends, without delay let us each turn back to Jesus Christ, let us implore Him to step back into our boats, yes - He longs to do this! Why delay? As Ananias said to Saul, the Holy Spirit addresses us, "Cast away your gloom! Rise up!" "And now why delay? Hurry and be baptised and wash away your sins, calling on his name.” (Acts 22.16) Let us be transformed into Christians, those who witness the joy of having encountered Someone - we know who that Someone is - Jesus Christ the Risen Lord! May the Lord Jesus bless us all to see Him soon after moments of tears! Dear brothers and sisters, may the Lord Jesus grant that our frustration comes to a permanent end; may He indeed lead our intellect to liberation, to the joy and freedom of the children of God!
What is frustration? Imagine the problems we struggle with daily: depending on our age or circumstance, they are different. A child thinks mostly of pleasure in play, how to win a game, about enjoyment from moment to moment - and depending on their upbringing and exposure, children choose from quiet pastimes such as drawing or painting to the more noisy ones, from quiet games and games which engage others and trigger cycles of joy and laughter to other modern ones which challenge their reactive skills and encourage a certain pride in strength, which seek the destruction of virtual enemies by guns and swords. Girls may think of dolls and their thoughts revolve around make-believe lives and conversations, apparel and relationships.
As we become older, our thoughts change drastically - apart from the times when study or duty force us to concentrate on the tasks at hand, our thoughts again range from pleasure in relationships and pleasure in passions, with many wasted hours. The Book of Sirach tells us, "From the one who sits on a glorious throne to the wretch in dust and ashes, from the one who wears purple and a crown to the one dressed in sacking, all is fury and jealousy, turmoil and unrest, fear of death, rivalry, strife." (Sirach 40.3-4). Very often at the end of various considerations that pass through the minds of every human being, at the end appears frustration. This frustration is clearly apparent on their faces of most people. Just enter into a public transport and gaze at faces! Sometimes, alas, looking at our own faces in the morning reveal to us the sad state of our minds.
But let us not give up hope! There is a good news waiting for troubled hearts! There is One who makes the widow's heart sing songs of joy; there is One Who makes prisoners shout forth; there is One who makes the desert a green and watered spring garden; there is one who gladdens a maiden with a loving spouse; there is one who gladdens similarly the heart of a young man with the spouse created to be his help and support; there is One who provides rich bread and sweet water to the tired; there is One who makes gladness ring out from sad hearts! His Name is Jesus; when He steps into a house, the dead awakes! Life and health spring up before Him, His Name is "Christ"! The Scriptures tell us "but none of them thinks of saying, ‘Where is God, my Maker, who makes glad songs ring out at night?" (Job 35.10)
Dear friends, without delay let us each turn back to Jesus Christ, let us implore Him to step back into our boats, yes - He longs to do this! Why delay? As Ananias said to Saul, the Holy Spirit addresses us, "Cast away your gloom! Rise up!" "And now why delay? Hurry and be baptised and wash away your sins, calling on his name.” (Acts 22.16) Let us be transformed into Christians, those who witness the joy of having encountered Someone - we know who that Someone is - Jesus Christ the Risen Lord! May the Lord Jesus bless us all to see Him soon after moments of tears! Dear brothers and sisters, may the Lord Jesus grant that our frustration comes to a permanent end; may He indeed lead our intellect to liberation, to the joy and freedom of the children of God!
You have turned my mourning into dancing,
you have stripped off my sackcloth and clothed me with joy.
So my heart will sing to you unceasingly,
O Lord, my God, I shall praise you for ever.
(Psalm 30.11-12)
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