Learning How to Be Grateful for Interruptions
I’m not a time-slotted schedule keeper, but I do have a general mental plan for how I want each week to play out. When I encounter a day with a surprise open afternoon, I get giddy deciding how best to use my time.
My schedule recently provided me with a free afternoon, and I happily gathered some reading material. I poured a cup of decaf, lit a candle for ambiance and settled into my chair. Then my phone buzzed.
Interruption Mindset
Let me pause here for a moment, because I’m guessing you have an emotional reaction to my little story. If you don’t like to read or spend an entire afternoon alone, you could be thinking, “yeah! A phone call!” If you wish you discovered a quiet afternoon all to yourself, you might be thinking, “blasted phone!” If you are a schedule person, you are wondering, who was on the phone, how long did it take, and what was the damage done to the time frame.
Interruptions are often the enemy we wish we could destroy. In our achievement centered culture, interruptions create distractions and heighten our stress levels. We may manage those interruptions with a smile, but inside we are anything but happy.
Constructing a Plan
“A person’s heart plans his way, but the Lord determines his steps.” Proverbs 16:9
Proverbs 16:9
On that free afternoon, I created a plan. My plan was not wrong nor wasteful. I can even tell you it was a God-honoring plan as my intent was to accomplish some prep work for upcoming blogs.
However, our plans aren’t always God’s plan. Our way of achieving the tasks before us are not necessarily the way God will choose. In addition, there are times God has an additional plan we know nothing about, know what I mean?
Interruption Appreciation
We must learn to be grateful for God’s interruptions. Psalm 37:23 says, “The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives.” God is so very aware of all we have on our to-do lists. Like any Father, He is proud of His children, who we are and what we accomplish.
Despite this, we must consider Psalm 37:23 combined with the truth of Isaiah 46:10, “…my purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please.” God sees beyond our schedule and our plans. He is working not only in our lives, but also in the lives of our circle of influence. There are moments God interrupts our schedule so He can use us to affect the life of someone else.
Interruptions as Influence
God’s interruptions direct us to value what He values. Proverbs 16:2 tells us “People may be pure in their own eyes, but the LORD examines their motives.” (NLT) It’s so easy for us to focus our minds on what we determine is significant. We convince ourselves we are doing good work, godly work, and we miss how God is moving.
We often have no idea what a friend, neighbor or acquaintance is going though. We are unaware of her need for encouragement or his need for a listening ear. When God chooses to interrupt our lives, He is offering us an opportunity to be His hands and feet.
Interruptions as Instruction
God’s interruptions teach us to trust Him and not ourselves. We easily lose ourselves in all the things we are not accomplishing when someone or something interrupts our agendas. The weight of responsibility feels cumbersome and unwieldy. We do all sorts of mental gymnastics to uncover time we think we’ve lost. We view our plans as more important than the new plan God just inserted into our day.
“Trust in the Lord completely, and do not rely on your own opinions. With all your heart rely on him to guide you, and he will lead you in every decision you make. Become intimate with him in whatever you do, and he will lead you wherever you go. Don’t think for a moment that you know it all, for wisdom comes when you adore him with undivided devotion and avoid everything that’s wrong. Then you will find the healing refreshment your body and spirit long for.” Proverbs 3:5-8, The Passion Translation.
Proverbs 3:5-8 The Passion Translation
Interruptions as Inspiration
Finally, when God chooses to interrupt our plans, He’s inviting us to declare again He is Lord. Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 6 we do not belong to ourselves because God has bought us. Our sin requires someone to pay a penalty price so we can have relationship with God. Jesus paid the price for us; we owe Him everything.
We don’t always get to choose how we serve God. There are times God interrupts our lives and lays a moment of service before us. A chance to honor Him by serving someone else in a way we hadn’t anticipated. An occasion to say again, I love you God more than anything else, and I will submit to your plan, right here, right now.
My Spark of Gratitude
On the afternoon of my interruption, I spent over an hour chatting with my son about the this and that of life. There was no earth-shattering emergency. Just my boy wanting a familiar and friendly voice on the other end of the line.
I’m believing that phone call, along with other moments and conversations, will produce eternal results. God interrupted my plans, and He gave me a gift. He calmed my initial anxiety, and He eliminated distractions from my mind. In addition, He gently instructed my soul to view it all as a God-ordained moment.
God blessed me with a spark of gratitude for interruptions, and I am thankful.
Clock Photo by Sonja Langford on Unsplash
