Walking in Their Shoes: Choosing Grace in Frustrating Moments

The Reality of Working with People

If you work with people long enough—whether in business, ministry, or leadership—you will eventually find yourself frustrated with them. I found myself in that exact place this past week. In many ways it wasn’t different from other weeks. I was annoyed, irritated, and struggling internally with the way some situations were unfolding with people I was working with.

To be fair, much of my frustration felt justified. Expectations had been set. Certain responsibilities were understood, and in some cases even contractually required. Yet those expectations were not being met. Anyone who works with clients, partners, or team members knows this feeling well. Things don’t move as quickly as they should. Communication breaks down. Commitments fall short.

Situations like these are not rare—they are inevitable. The real question isn’t if we will encounter them, but how we will respond when we do.

Guarding Your Heart

Scripture gives us an important warning about what happens in our hearts during these moments. “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” (Proverbs 4:23)

When frustration builds, it’s easy for our hearts to drift toward judgment, resentment, or impatience. We may begin assuming the worst about the people around us. We might believe they simply don’t care, aren’t trying hard enough, or are intentionally making things difficult.

If we are not careful, those attitudes will begin to shape the way we speak, lead, and make decisions.

A Moment of Perspective

During a time of prayer this week, God gave me a different perspective.

As I prayed through the situation, I began to see something I had not fully considered before: the people I was frustrated with were also facing real challenges of their own. The obstacles they were dealing with were just as real to them as my frustrations were to me. They were not intentionally making things difficult; they were navigating pressures and limitations I hadn’t taken the time to fully understand.

In other words, I needed to step into their shoes for a moment.

Empathy has a powerful way of softening our hearts. When we pause long enough to consider someone else’s perspective, it changes the posture of our spirit. Instead of asking, “Why aren’t they doing what I need?” we begin asking, “What might they be dealing with?”

Choosing Grace Instead of Frustration

This shift opens the door to grace.

Grace asks different questions:
How can I help instead of criticize?
How can I extend patience instead of frustration?
How can I maintain a Christlike attitude even when circumstances feel unfair?

The apostle Paul reminds us in Colossians 3:12–13 to “clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience… forgiving each other as the Lord forgave you.”

In business, extending grace doesn’t mean ignoring problems or lowering standards. Instead, it means approaching people with empathy, humility, and a willingness to understand their challenges. It means guarding our hearts so frustration does not take root.

A Kingdom Mindset at Work

When we choose this posture, we begin operating with a Kingdom mentality. We move from self-protection to servant leadership. We stop focusing solely on outcomes and start caring for people.

And often, it is in those moments—when grace replaces irritation—that God begins to do something extraordinary. Relationships strengthen. Solutions emerge. And sometimes we even see the beginnings of what can only be described as supernatural favor in our work.

Grace changes the atmosphere.
And sometimes, it changes everything.