My friend Bill was helping me with some computer training when that nagging “update” message showed up. So, while we waited, we chatted. He mentioned how dealing with computers requires patience and being blind and dealing with computers require even more!

Because he’d done computer training for lots of blind people for many years, he told me how he’d observed that each one deals with lots of frustration and it isn’t just because of computers; it’s because of the maddening trappings of blindness.

I asked Bill if he could summarize their frustration. His response was quick and I must say, accurate.

“Not being able to drive and always having to wait on someone else to get anything done.”

Oh man, he was right on.

Not being able to drive is hard, but it has become less defined because it blends so well into the second frustration he mentioned; “always having to wait on someone else to get anything done.”

Yep!  That’s the perfect summary.

The reason it’s so maddening is because the person who lives inside my body is capable of doing anything I need done.

I could paint the wall; hang a picture; sort the mail; read a label; drop off donations to Good Will; stitch up a torn hemline; polish my nails; write a thank you note…I could do all those things if I could see. That small list is just a fraction of the things that remain undone on my to do list! And, if I don’t discipline myself, my degree of frustration can grow in proportion to the undone items on my to do list!

I’ll tell you what has worked for me when it comes to that kind of frustration.

Warning; you may not like my answer. 

Patience.

I know, I know. I don’t like it either. But, what is the alternative? I am just shooting straight with you. Impatience doesn’t serve me; I have tried it. Impatience only increases my frustration. So, if impatience is counter productive, then patience is the most productive response.

Patience is my coping method; faith is my motivation.

Here’s what I mean: patience is really hard. On my own, I don’t possess the motivation or strength to apply patience consistently. I’m just not that girl! But, if I focus on trusting God, it is easier to be patient.  Here is why. God knows my needs.  God promises to meet my needs. So, if there is a lingering item on my to do list that is not yet done, I can be patient because it must mean it is not the “need” I think it is. When I keep faith in Him as my focus, I can then apply patience to my frustration.

The other thing I do to help manage my frustration and maintain patience is to determine the difference between something being urgent and something being important. Getting a ride to the doctor is probably urgent while painting my living room is simply important. 

Sometimes we treat every important thing as if it is urgent and when we do we increase our frustration level and usually lack the patience that gives us peace. 

Chances are you are not blind, but you are human and frustration is just a part of our DNA. So, perhaps you could apply some patience motivated by faith and determine what things on your to do list are urgent and which items are simply important? It has helped me and I hope it will help you.

Grace to you my friend.

Question: How do you deal with daily frustrations? Leave a comment here.