Life’s Interruptions

Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. Simon and his companions went to look for him, and when they found him, they exclaimed: “Everyone is looking for you!” Mark 1:35-37

Life is full of interruptions. Car maintenance, a sick child, divorce, death, financial surprises, a friend’s crisis, government shutdowns, home repair, health questions, and job issues all interrupt our regular routine. If we have perfectionist tendencies we can stress out over control slipping away or we can learn to embrace Christ’s control. Ironically, expectations of a stress free life only create stress. As long as we live, life will interrupt, so how shall we respond?

Jesus was interrupted in His prayers and He was interrupted by the leper, but He used them both for God’s glory. Is the Lord in on our life’s interruptions? Many times, yes! He takes distractions in our prayer time and uses them to lead us into His will. On occasion while praying, my mind races with a mental list that longs for immediate attention. So, I stop praying, write down the items and then offer the list in prayer as a sacrifice to Jesus. The Holy Spirit leads me in how to manage the needs I’ve written down. So, I seek to lean into the Lord when interrupted by life.

Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” James 4:13-15

We are all needy to one degree or another. Needy people need to have their needs met. Therefore,  when someone interrupts your life with their need, look for the Lord in the interruption. Pray for a way to meet their need in Jesus’ name so they are attracted to His love. Furthermore, you are not called to meet everyone’s needs all the time. There are others God wants to engage as His benevolent blessing. Be available, do what you can, and trust the Lord to add more resources.

There is no shame in being needy. This is the human condition. It is what draws us to God. So, we first seek Christ Jesus to meet all our needs in Him. His love, His patience, His mercy, His rest and His care are a treasure trove of spiritual invigoration, emotional healing, and mental stamina. The Lord is with us in the middle of life’s interruptions. We also seek those who love us when we need love. We ask for prayer in our pain. We need each other and we need our Savior Jesus when life interrupts our plans. Yes, life’s interruptions direct us to God’s better plan!

And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19

Prayer: Heavenly Father, when life interrupts my goals and aspirations, thank you for meeting my needs in Christ Jesus.

Related Readings: Psalm 23:1, 39:5; Matthew 8:24; Luke 12:18-20; 2 Corinthians 9:8

Post/Tweet today: Ironically, expectations of a stress free life only create stress. #lifesinterruptions


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