Have you ever noticed how often Jesus got interrupted? It happened all the time. Sometimes, reading the gospels, it seems that Jesus did more miracles in the interruptions than in the planned ministry.
Here are some examples:
- Jesus was interrupted on the way to heal Jairus’ daughter by a woman who had been bleeding for 12 years and reached out to touch His garment for healing. (Mark 5:22–43)
- Jesus and the disciples were headed for some quiet time to grieve John the Baptist’s death when they were interrupted by a crowd looking for Jesus. (Matthew 14:12–14)
- Jesus healed Bartimaeus, the blind man, as he left Jericho on his way to Jerusalem for his final Passover. (Mark 10:46–52)
- While Jesus was teaching at Peter’s home in Capernaum, mid-sermon, he was interrupted by some guys digging a hole in the roof of the house right above where He was teaching to lower their disabled friend to Jesus for healing. (Mark 2:1–12)
As a mother, I knew the constant irritation of interruptions. A fresh cup of coffee, a phone call from a friend, or a quiet moment in the bathroom seemed like invitations for my children to need me immediately and urgently. On my best days as a mother, I stopped what I was doing to give my children the attention they needed. On my worst days, well, you can probably guess. It wasn’t always pretty.
I longed for uninterrupted quiet time. Now that my children are grown, and I can visit the bathroom in peace whenever I wish, I feel selfish putting these memories into words. But, the interruptions continue.
Just two days ago, in the city where we are in the far north of Australia, my life was interrupted once again. We had less than an hour’s notice that we were going into a five-day lockdown. Plans interrupted.
What if, like Jesus, I looked for ministry opportunities in the interruptions of life? What if the interruptions are just as much a part of God’s plan as my plan? Or perhaps, God is interrupting my schedule with His plan. Ouch.
Proverbs 19:21 (NIV) reminds us,
Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.”
Perhaps God knew I need a few days of quiet to recover from the busyness of the past weeks. Perhaps God interrupted my plans for my good. In fact, I have no doubt. When I put my pride aside and ask God for His guidance, I know He is in control.
God is working in the interruptions.
How do you respond when you are interrupted? Do you, like me, feel frustrated and annoyed? Do you feel like your carefully organized life is being derailed? Or do you, like Jesus, see the ministry opportunities in the interruptions?
Christine is a writer who packed up her city life to live in an RV and travel full-time around Australia with her husband. Christine writes about faith, self-care, and simple living in her blog, Living with Margins. For more blogs from her, click here. You can listen to our Bible studies by tuning in to your favorite radio station, listening to our podcast on iTunes, listening through TuneIn, Spotify, or Stitcher online radio, or watching on YouTube.
Christine you never fail to remind me about the importance of paying attention to the little moments in life. You are SUCH a blessing.
Thank you so much, Holly. I love how God is always at work, in the big and little moments. Bless you.
Thank you thank you for this reminder! I just so happen to be reading this upon getting back in the car (no I’m not driving 😉 after being waylaid for a couple hours due to a flat tire. Did I mention this was 2 hours into a 12 hour trip? Or that our planned stay with family was derailed by covid? Or the 4am smoke alarm in our hotel? Or the absence of a 4am alarm in any other of the hotel’s rooms? Haha gotta love a good story. Yet my husband and I were just discussing how there is a literal list of events through which God showed his goodness on our trip. God is good.
Oh, Cindy! You will remember this day for a long time! I’m so glad you and your husband can recognize God at work through it all. He is good, even when we are having a very bad day. Bless you.