Interrupted by God!
WE DON'T LIKE IT
We don’t like for our plans to get interrupted. We are people of habit, and when our plans have to be changed, it can throw us off for the rest of the day. There are times in our lives when God will completely change our course.
If we are walking by the Spirit, this wouldn’t affect us so badly. If we are glued to our own will, God’s changes can frustrate and even sadden us. We must remember Who interrupts our life plans. He is the One who loved us to death-Literally!
OUR PLANS
We are taught from a young age to plan out our lives. I remember being in a High School gym for freshmen orientation. We were to plan out the next 10 years of our life. Yes, they really thought we were going to take that seriously. Who knows, at that age especially, what they want the next 10 years of life to look like?
We were also given planners, to plan out our classes and homework. We were learning how to follow through with goals. This is great! I am a planner myself, however it can become unhealthy. If we become so inflexible that we can’t allow room for God to take control, we have a big problem!
God has His own plans that have been for all eternity. It is necessary to be planners in our world today. However, when the Creator of all makes a turn we didn’t expect, we need to follow Him! We can’t know all of His plans for our future. Look at your life now! Do you think your current life would have matched your high school planner? I know mine wouldn’t have.
INTERRUPTIONS
I have experienced this for the past 1 ½ years. I was a normal functioning women; a college graduate, studying masters work in seminary. I spent weekends with friends, and had a great job that I loved. My plans were going just as I wanted. Then, I hesitate to say this, but…I think I had a mental break down!
I ended up in the ER with an IV of fluids and sedatives. That whole day was terrible, but that was just the beginning. My body fell to pieces. I couldn’t eat well or walk, not even to the bathroom. My dad had to carry me. I had to move back home and could not take care of myself.
One hospital visit after another and my body had just quit working right. Talk about a life interruption. My life stopped! I had been running around, serving the Lord with tons of anxiety, shame, insomnia, and a bad case of people pleasing, along with a history of an unpleasant childhood.
The body will shut down on you when it can’t handle the weight. Now, I am glad God allowed that to happen, for my healing! But, I really hated it during the process.
EXAMPLES IN SCRIPTURE
There are many examples from the Bible of those whose lives were totally interrupted by God.
Esther becomes a queen. ( Esther 2:17)
David, this Shepherd boy, is made to be king. (2 Samuel 5:4)
That is a big life interruption!
Paul, with all of His zeal and knowledge was interrupted by Jesus, Who completely changed Paul’s direction. (Acts 9:4-5)
Jesus’ disciples were literally called one by one away from their normal daily living, to follow Him, (Matthew 10:1)
Mary, a poor virgin girl is now pregnant with the Savior of the world! (Luke 1:35)
EVERY DAY LIVING
Those seem extreme, because they are! However, this could look like; having to stay later at work than you planned, or having to take another assignment you weren’t prepared for. Even better, your due date for your work is moved up.
The cars in front of you may be taking longer than you had planned. My favorite one is when you spill coffee all over yourself and now you have to change clothes…or spell like coffee all day!
What I am getting at is that God could send small or large interruptions, (depending on how you see it) and all of them have the potential to spoil our entire day/days. We can move from the peace of our quiet time to being upset and bothered, in a matter of seconds!
RIPPLES OF BEAUTY
There can be beauty in the interruptions. I know, it sounds cliché, but it’s true. I was very encouraged by a woman named Amy Carmichael. In her book ‘His thoughts said…His Father said…’ she mentions interruptions in a way I’d never heard.
Amy gives a picture of a mountain stream. There is a lovely flow of water being interrupted by big rocks that is causing a break in the beautiful flow. Ripples were being made by the interruption of the rocks, but the ripples made the mountain an even more beautiful sight to see. The river turned each rock into an occasion of beauty.
OPPORTUNITIES
We can imagine ourselves like that river, going along its way as usually, until some rocks start breaking in. Instead of allowing those rocks (figuratively speaking), to be interruptions, let them be opportunities given to you by God. Take those opportunities and treat them in a way that is pleasing to Him.
That long traffic might be an opportunity to pray, or call someone in need. Those assignments can become an opportunity to glorify God, by not complaining or doing a half way job.
That moved due date can be an opportunity for you to pray and lean on God to help you accomplish it. Those family members, the kids, the coworkers, and all the other possible interruptions can be beautiful lessons from God.
HE IS FOR YOU
We don’t like the unknown. This is because we like control, which is really what all of this breaks down to. Will we trust our own plans over the plans of the Creator of all things? Do we trust our wisdom? Are we willing to be interrupted for God’s glory?
Are you willing to take these unwanted tasks as unto the Lord? In the end, you must believe God is better and wiser and good. He is for you, not against you! Let your interruptions become an opportunity to please your king.
Blessings!