Life is full of interruptions. It’s hard to have faith in the process and embrace those interruptions, but it’s important! Here is some advice for why and how to heed life’s interruptions.
I sat in front of my laptop, thoroughly enjoying this moment. From 8-915 every night, I write and work on blog-related tasks.
On this particular night, my oldest daughter asked if she could come and read on my bed while I worked. I hesitated. This is my time. I spend 13 hours of my day surrounded by my children and the rhythms of parenting! Quality “me-time” helps me refresh and rejuvenate for the following day.
However, I agreed to her request.
She propped herself up on my pillow and read her book. Occasionally she would giggle at something she read, or would sigh, or scratch herself (loudly too, I might add). These little things annoyed me because they muddled my focus, but I appreciated the fact that at least she wasn’t chatty.
Then it happened.
“Mom,” she asked as she closed her book and got off of the bed to walk over to me.
I was immediately flustered. All I could think was:
I just want to get some work done! Why did I agree to have her sit in my room while I write? I’m not going to get anything done!
I silenced that frustrated voice and responded gently, “Yes sweetie.”
“Mom, I remembered something really important.”
“What might that be,” I asked.
“I remembered that uncle has a very important university exam tomorrow. Do you think we should pray for him?”
My eyes welled up with pride.
“Of course we can.”
I led my daughter in prayer, I hugged her and praised her for remembering to pray for her uncle.
I’ve never been good at handling interruptions. When I’m focused on a task, an interruption frustrates and overwhelms me. I get agitated and annoyed. I don’t know why I’m this way, but this is my nature.
I structure my life to minimize interruptions. For instance, I write first thing in the morning, when the kids are in bed, or in the evenings when my husband is home and able to watch the kids.
I get up early so that I can read my Bible, pray, and schedule the day’s tasks. If I can, I’ll exercise so that I can workout without disruptions.
I control my environment as much as I can to minimize interruptions.
A couple months ago, my pastor shared how a Christmas Eve service had an unexpected interruption that ended up blessing an entire congregation. Caroline over at In Due Time also recently wrote about interruptions.
This theme of interruptions has been cropping up all over the place, and I became acutely aware that God had a message for me about the interruptions in my life.
I don’t handle interruptions well.
When interruptions occur, I often try to force my way through it.
Like when my computer keeps crashing, and I can’t get a blog post done; I get frustrated and agitated as I reboot the computer for the fourth time.
Or when I’m trying to clean the house, and the phone is ringing every 15 minutes; I get annoyed and ignore the phone so I can barrel through the chores.
Or if I’m trying to sleep at night, but the dog keeps barking in his sleep and my daughter stumbles into my room to tell me she wants her water bottle filled; I may get overwhelmed and crabby because I just want to sleep.
God works in the interruptions.
I forget that God works in the interruptions.
I forget that story after story in the Bible reveals a God of love, who connects through the interruptions.
Moses was tending his flock when God appeared in a burning bush.
Mary’s engagement to Joseph was interrupted with the promise of a child.
Think of all the disciples who were living their everyday lives when Jesus approached them with the words of “follow me”.
Saul was on his way to Damascus to persecute more Christians when Jesus himself interrupted him.
Time after time, we see that God works in the interruptions.
Jesus worked through the interruptions.
If we examine the scripture closely, we see how Jesus, while walking from one town to another, encounters countless interruptions. From the bleeding woman who touched his cloak, to Jairus’ daughter, to many others who interrupt his journey to seek healing… Jesus worked through the interruptions.
Jesus worked through the interruptions and so can I. #faith #Christian Click To TweetI don’t want to barrel through the interruptions anymore. I don’t want to fix things so that I can get back on task. I pray that I’ll start seeing interruptions as God-filled invitations to do more, be more, pray more, and connect more. Amazing things happen when we heed the interruptions – I will invite them, embrace them, and let Jesus work in me, through them.
Jennifer, thank you for these wise words. I too, am somebody who struggles with interruptions. These truths really spoke to me. Interruptions can=God-filled invitations. I’ll try to remember that.
I’m glad these words spoke to you, Dawn. I’ve been feeling prompted by the Lord to share them for a while now and I’m so glad I was finally able to write what I’ve been thinking and feeling.
Jennifer this really impacted me. I feel the same way about being interrupted. Sometimes it’s when I think I am doing something “good” or productive but I miss something “better” by being so focused. I love how you showed all the ways that Jesus was interrupted. It was a great reminder to me to remember to place people before my tasks. I love how you wrote “interruptions are God-filled invitations to connect more.”
I’m delighted this resonated with you. I really struggle with interruptions – I always have. God showed just how important those interruptions are.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this Valerie.
You did the best thing a mommy can do…you stopped and was Jesus for your child. I remember the many divine interruptions when my child needed me. The problem at school they were struggling with, the question that needed answering, the tears that came after they shared an unpleasant experience in their day. Everything we do as a parent can wait when these moments manifest themselves. Well done!
Thank you Michelle. I’m so glad I heeded the interruption and didn’t speak out in a frustrated or overwhelmed manner. Now I have this beautiful memory that will always stick with me.
I needed this post today. I’m just like you. I’m not good with interruptions and little things tend to annoy me. Like right now I’m trying to write this comment and my oldest daughter keeps trying to talk to me about tires she needs for her car. Sometimes it’s just God’s way of saying “slow down, I got this!”, and I do need to do that. After all he knows best!
I’m glad this post resonated with you.
Yes, God wants us to hand things over to Him and sometimes we get so caught up in our “stuff” we forget to let go!
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this Amanda.
I re-learned a smilar lesson here recently with my girls and have been trying my best to embrace the interruptions now, because like you I usually have my schedule pretty well plotted out for the day, but sometimes we just have to give into the interruptions, because greater will follow. Have a wonderful weekend now, Jennifer xoxo ;)
I’m delighted this spoke to you as well Janine. Yes, greater things follow if we slow down and heed those interruptions!
Oh Jennifer… this speaks to me SO much!! What a beautiful message here… I love love love this. Incredibly powerful post.
THANK YOU!
I will surely soak this in over and over again… as I navigate interruptions in a different way.
Oh, I’m delighted you enjoyed this Chris.
The interruptions are precious and sometimes I wonder how many divine moments I missed because I tried to push through the interruptions too much.
I had never thought about interruptions this way. I’m so used to being interrupted that they rarely bother me but thinking about them in a different light is making me think. Thank you for that Jennifer.
This speaks directly to me! I try so hard to get up early to exercise and have my quiet time with the Lord and get a little blogging but it seems no matter how hard I try, a little person always wakes up or needs me. I often get frustrated when my little ones disturb my quiet time but I have been asking God to not let it effect my attitude, knowing that even if I don’t get that quiet time he will give me the rest and strength I need to do what he’s called me to do. I am still going to work hard at getting my quiet time but accept that there will be interruptions…and try to learn from them. I think there is a theme going on because I recently wrote about it too. ;) Thanks for speaking such truth and encouragement to my heart.
Hi Jennifer! What a great personal story about the blessings of interruptions! I am really not very good at them either. I have an idea of what I want to get done, and someone else doesn’t share my vision. So I get frustrated.
What a lovely moment of faith shared with your daughter. That would have made me feel so proud and happy. She is learning to rely on Jesus because of what you’ve taught her. Such a wonderful witness to passing on the faith.
Sunday blessings!
Ceil
I was taking time to catch up on the bootcamp thread and saw your post about this post. Love it. I love the way you catalogued how God works through interruptions! I am in week one of Priscilla Shirer’s Jonah study. “Interruptions are often divine interventions.”
Jennifer, this strikes a chord. I, too, treasure the “me time” that I have, and when I feel that it’s threatened, I balk and kick and fret and otherwise act woefully immature. This is such a good reminder to hold my agenda loosely. God does work in the interruptions — and often, that work is in my heart.
Thanks for this post!
I too struggle with interruptions! In my daily planning I’m learning to leave 15 minutes of each hour unscheduled so that I don’t feel so frustrated by the inevitable interruptions.
Good, wise thoughts — ones that touch the heart of any busy mother (which seems to be the definition of mother).
We are pressed on many sides to be efficient, amazing, good with our time, wizards with finances, and superb with human relations, but as you observe, that latter one — which is unseen and can’t be checked off a list — frequently usurps the others aspects of the list.
I can definitely relate. I’m not always flexible and like to have a plan for everything. But your reminder that God works through interruptions is such an encouragement. What a great memory you have now of your daughter because you let God work through your interruption!
What a lovely, inspirational post! I also get annoyed when I get interrupted during what is supposed to be my quiet time. You’re right God is definitely working in the interruptions. The other night I was also sitting by my daughter when she read and she suddenly turned to me and said very sincerely, I love you mom.
Aww, that is so sweet Melissa. Thank you for sharing that! Yes, God can be felt in all these interruptions – I’m trying to slow down so I don’t miss any of them!
Yes to all of this. I’m not Christian but I do believe God is present during these interruptions, and usually is the one who causes them. Sometimes when my computer turns off in the middle of me writing a post, or something of a similar nature, I always think about how it’s likely God saying “Stop. Slow down. Pay attention.” You and I are so much alike and I barrel through so much as well, and I also don’t like interruptions. I know that feeling you were describing when you shared how you felt frustration at your daughter coming into your room and then interrupting you. Thank you for sharing this, especially these thoughts and feelings that most of us don’t want to admit we have, like frustration with our children interrupting us. It’s a good reminder that interruptions usually happen for a divine reason (or so I believe).
Of course you could identify with this Jessica – we are SO much alike!
I’m so much more attentive to the interruptions now. Amazing things happen all the time… I wonder how many I missed because I pushed past them with no awareness?!
Hi Jennifer, oh, interruptions can be a pain, but how we handle them is important. Some interruptions do need dealing with right now, but if it can wait then it’s acceptable to say so, as long as you stand by your word and stop what your doing when planned. Of course there are also those times when you have to totally give up on what your doing, sometimes it’s best to step away from a computer that needs constant rebooting for sanity’s sake!
I think it’s sweet that your daughter wanted to pray for her Uncle.
xx
I was so touched by her request to pray for her uncle. What a spirit she has!
Yes, I wish to handle interruptions with more grace from now on.
Jennifer…thank you for this thought provoking and spirit revealing post! I feel like I might have a twin out there:) I too struggle with trying to control every circumstance or situation. I am learning to let God interrupt my plans while He continues to work in my life! I am so encouraged by this beautiful post. Thank you for sharing from the heart. Many blessings to you and yours and have a wonderful weekend!
I’m sorry it took me so long to reply to you Horace. My grandmother has been ill for the past two months – so it’s been a bit of an emotional time over here.
I’m delighted this post resonated with you. God does some of the most amazing things in the interruptions. I’m definitely more aware now!