The interruptions

So I could sit here and tell you that the last two years of my life have played out exactly like I expected. I could tell you that everything has gone according to plan and we’re right where we hoped we’d be and gosh! we’re so carefree! looks like smooth sailing ahead!
I could tell you those things.
But there’s not a stitch of truth in them.
And as much as I like to think that over the last few months, when things have been especially difficult, that I’ve responded well and rolled with the punches and learned valuable lessons, the fact of the matter is that I’ve responded with a heavy dose of stubborn more often than not. I may have been a little bitter. And on some days – like yesterday, for instance – I’ve just been plain mad.
Last weekend at Going Beyond, Priscilla Shirer talked a lot about having a Godly response to the interruptions in our lives. She actually covered four specific things to keep in mind when life takes you on a detour down a road you never planned to travel, and then she followed up on Saturday with five ways those interruptions bless us.
And at the time – because it is always easy to sit under a difficult word and think about how it applies to SOMEBODY ELSE – I didn’t really apply what she was saying to my own life. I thought about how it applied to this friend’s life or that friend’s life or to my own life eight or nine years ago – but I didn’t really think about THIS TIME in my life. This season-o-crippling-humility, as I’ve come to call it. Didn’t think about my current circumstances much at all.
So y’all know what God did.
He called me out on my own denial ALL. WEEK. LONG. And I’m telling you, I feel like at every single turn I’ve been confronted with the reality of my own selfishness and pride and hardheadedness. If hardheadedness is in fact a word. And I’ve been reminded that there is a blessing in the here and now – even though it doesn’t always feel like it.
Priscilla told us Friday night that it takes courage to yield to the interruptions of life, to learn the lesson that God is teaching us. And she also said that until we respond to what God is calling us to do in that interruption, His Word will continue to mess with us, to convict us, to call us out on that very thing we’re avoiding.
I’m quite certain I can’t relate to that at all.
Ahem.
So I don’t know if you’re dealing with any interruptions in your life right now or not, but this morning I’m thinking about two things Priscilla said last weekend:
1) God sometimes derails us to get us back on board with His plan.
2) When God allows interruptions in our lives, we have an opportunity to cooperate with Him.
Hope that encourages y’all this morning.
Because I have to tell you: it’s flat-out preaching to me.