Does anyone enjoy being interrupted? I can only answer for myself. These unplanned moments often lead to frustration when I have my own “to-do” list for a day and can’t accomplish it due to the interruption. I came across this convicting quote:
“How you respond to interruptions reveals who you truly are.”
Want to know what is truly going on in your heart? Look at how you respond to interruptions. It’s easy to be our best self when everything goes as planned, but interruptions reveal the true state of our heart. This is a truth that I have had to wrestle with!
This week in particular, I have experienced many interruptions! But I realized the Lord has graciously been using these so called “interruptions” to teach me something.
I believe God uses what we might think of as “interruptions” as opportunities for us to join Him where He is working. We see this throughout the Bible and see it specifically in Jesus’ ministry.
In Matthew 14, we see Jesus try to “withdraw to a desolate place by Himself” (v.13a) to grieve the death of His cousin, John the Baptist. “But when the crowds heard of it, they followed Him on foot from the towns.” (v.13b) Verse 14 then states, “when He went ashore He saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick.”
Let’s not miss this important lesson from Jesus! He was trying to get away alone to grieve and pray about the death of a close loved one, which seems like a perfectly good use of His time and well-deserved. But before He could even get to where He was going, He is interrupted by people who saw He was trying to get away and followed Him! How does Jesus respond to this? He has “compassion on them and heals they’re sick.” Wow! Not only does Jesus look on them with compassion, but He heals them!
The coolest part is how God then used this interruption! That evening, with the same crowd of people, is where The Feeding of the Five Thousand took place. One of the greatest miracles in Jesus’ ministry. Jesus, in His perfect example, didn’t view this distraction as an “interruption” but rather an opportunity to see where God was working and He joined Him. And because He joined God, 5,000+ people got to experience and see God’s power through an incredible miracle. And we are still reading about it today!
God has shown me this week, that if I follow His leading and welcome these “interruptions”, into my day, that He will work in and through me and do more than I could have even imagined! I have experienced my days as way more satisfying and kingdom-focused than they would have if I followed my own desires.
My family is about to take a vacation and I don’t know if anyone relates to this, but before vacations I have a whole list of things I want to get done. (Laundry, packing, running last minute errands, etc. and I love coming home to a clean house - so lots of cleaning!) I usually try to schedule out my days the week before we leave and do a little each day. But this week I have had so many different instances where someone has reached out wanting to get together or talk, and because the Lord has been teaching me to view interruptions as opportunities, by His grace I have said yes. I haven’t gotten much done for my trip, but I have seen spiritual fruit come out of every single encounter! God has proved that His plans are always better than my own!
I believe the enemy wants us to get distracted by our own desires and plans for the day, that we miss where God might be working and ways He wants to speak to us.
Prayer Tip #24: Pray to see interruptions as opportunities
Practical Tips:
Ask God to help you view interruptions as opportunities.
Be open handed with your day. (Meaning, don’t be so “married” to your plans, ask God to take away things in your day that are your own personal desires and replace them with His.)
Start every day off asking God what His Will is for you today and let His Spirit guide you in it.
Ask God to rid you of selfishness.
Prayer Points:
God, give me spiritual eyes to see where You are working and when “interruptions” in my day are coming from You.
Help me to look for where You are working and join You.
Help me to dedicate my days to You and welcome You to change my plans.
Let the desires in my heart reflect Yours only, rid me of anything that doesn’t reflect Your heart.
Protect me from the distractions of the enemy and let Your Spirit guide me each day.
Lord,
I pray that You would help me to view interruptions as opportunities to join You where You are working. Give me the wisdom and strength to follow and obey You. Mold my heart to desire Your Will over my own. Use Your Spirit to convict me and guide me and help me to dedicate my day to Your desires and plans. Help me to be open-handed and respond well when “my plans” are interrupted. Give me spiritual eyes to see where and when You are working. Thank You that Your plans are always better than my own, help me to walk in them and trust them. In Jesus Name, I ask all of these things, Amen.
Sincerely,
Madison Hartley
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