“It’s so frustrating! I feel so helpless!”

A co-worker and I were commiserating the other day about a discouraging turn of events at work. A supervisor, who had made exciting promises of improvements and opportunities in order to recruit my friend’s help, had let her down, badly.  I was sharing my own disappointment with the new Congress. Big promises had been made during the campaign, but seemed to be forgotten after the election.

The higher the hopes, the deeper the despair from disappointment. This is especially true in a position of powerlessness, as with an employee and employer, or a voter and an elected official. There is no effective outlet for our feelings of frustration and anger, so we are overcome by hopelessness. Frustration becomes depression.

Although I didn’t have the answer for my friend, and letters to my congressman don’t do much to ease my own disappointment, I do know how we can avoid these feelings in the future: Do not put your trust in princes, in human beings, who cannot save. Psalm 146:3

If I remember to never put my trust, my hope, my faith in my fellowman, I will never be so downcast by disappointment that I feel hopeless. …those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. Isaiah 40:31

These are words to cling to in just such times as these. Amen and amen.