Read Ephesians 4:29-32
When I think about frustration, I usually think about moments when something feels painfully wrong. The kind of frustration that comes from knowing something could and should be better.
That’s the kind of emotion we see when Jesus weeps at the tomb of Lazarus. His tears aren’t only about loss, they’re about the brokenness of a damaged world. Jesus knew this wasn’t how things were meant to be.
That same frustration shows up in Ephesians 4:29-32. In this passage, Paul tells us that our words and actions can actually “grieve” the Holy Spirit. When I hear the word grieve, I think of heartbreak. Paul explains that bitterness and anger bring sadness to God, while kindness and forgiveness bring Him happiness. This tells us something important: God feels deeply when we hurt one another.
I’ve felt a version of this grief in a very personal way. When my mom was diagnosed with cancer, it felt unfair. Watching someone I love so much face pain changed me.
Even when there was nothing I could do to fix it, the weight sat heavy with me. I remember thinking something along the lines of, “This isn’t how it’s supposed to be”.
The overall experience has helped me understand how God might feel when He sees the brokenness in the world. I felt that much sorrow and frustration watching someone I love suffer, how much more must God feel it, knowing this was never His plan?
Jesus’ tears of frustration come from love. He weeps because He sees what sin does to people, and He knows we were made for more than this. Ephesians reminds us that we have a choice every day. What we say can either make broken situations worse or help make them better.
The tears of Jesus are not just His grief—they are His love for a broken world. This Lent, let His tears guide you to be kind, forgiving, and compassionate, and to make a difference in the hurting world around us.
For Reflection:
- When you consider the source of Jesus’ frustration (pain caused to others) versus the things that typically frustrate us (personal slights or insults) , how can we begin to allow our hearts to be more in tune with Christ in this area?
By Jaelynn Gonzalez
