The Monster Of My Frustration

Message Summary:

We love a good mystery. Whether it’s Sherlock Holmes or Scooby-Doo, we’re drawn to uncovering what’s hiding behind the mask. But when it comes to our finances, sometimes the mystery feels too real. We ask, Why do I feel so frustrated and stuck?

In Deuteronomy 8, Israel stood on the edge of the Promised Land. God warned them not to forget who their true Provider was. “Remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you the ability to produce wealth.” God knew that prosperity could lead to pride—and pride leads to forgetting Him.

That’s where we meet our financial monster: control. The greatest financial monster doesn’t begin in your bank—it begins in your heart.

In 1 Kings 17, Elijah learns this firsthand. God sends him to the Kerith Ravine—literally a place that means “to cut off.” There, God teaches him dependence. Water from a brook. Food from ravens. Then, when the brook dries up, God sends him to a widow in Zarephath. Again, Elijah must trust that God alone provides.

Over and over, God uses frustration to teach dependence. Abraham. Joseph. Israel. Elijah. Jesus Himself. The same pattern continues in our lives today.

When God frustrates your plans, it may not be punishment but rather an  invitation. An invitation to release control. To trust the only One who truly provides.

Big Idea: God is my Provider. God is in control.