Interrupted Lives

Individuality is one of our created blessings as God’s creative crowning achievement. We’re made in his image; for his glory; and for his pleasure. Our individual uniqueness is as varied as the color spectrum. And with this uniqueness comes the variations in which each of us deals with adversity and change. James encourages us to “…consider it pure joy whenever you face trials of many kinds…” Some of us welcome life changes, and trials, because they make us stronger; while others cringe at the very thought of change in direction.

In a recent time of devotion, I came across another passage in James that challenges us to loosen our grip on our own self-made plans.

Here are a couple of questions we should ask ourselves…

Am I the type of person who lives by my blackberry…hour by hour…meeting by meeting…with a specific agenda to keep to?

Am I the type of person who would rather take things as they come, remembering a few things on my “to do” list…as long as I get some things accomplished?

How do you react when someone, or something, comes along and throws your entire well-planned schedule out the window? Do you take it in stride…or do the wheels fall off?

Here’s what James 4:13-15 says…
13-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.” 14-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. 15-Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.”

Here are just a few more questions…

When was the last time your schedule was interrupted by God?
What did that day end up looking like?
How did you react when you realized your agenda was going to be set aside?
How long did it take for you to realize that God was changing your plans?

I have a recent personal story. It is not earth-shattering, nor is it really that spiritual. But it completely interrupted my own plans. I have not been sleeping well for the past three weeks. I’m sure you’ve been there. My body is plenty tired, but I just can’t shut down my mind…very frustrating. So, many nights I’ve gotten out of bed and watched TV until 2 or 3 am. Last Saturday night I thought for sure that this was the night I was going to get a full night’s rest. I even went to bed at 9:30 to take advantage of how tired I was. I hadn’t fully fallen asleep yet at 11:30, when the phone rang. It was our son calling from a gas station clear on the other side of town. He was putting gas in the car, but when he got back in to start the car, it wouldn’t start. He needed me to come and jump it. I can’t express to you the level of frustration I felt; being in my warm bed for two hours on the verge of much-needed sleep. Now I have to get up, go out in the cold, drive clear across town to jump my son’s car, which will take all of 60 seconds. I was about half way across town when I kind of sighed, and said to God, “you’re messing with my plans, aren’t you God.” I calmed down, helped my son, and came back home. Guess what…I went to bed, couldn’t sleep, got up and watched TV til about 3 am. The only real change as a result of this experience was that God was reminding me not to get caught up in my own plans, as important as they may seem, because he may have something else in mind.

I shared this scripture with our college group at church this week, made up mostly of high school seniors. I asked them to apply this scripture to their college plans. I asked them if they had left room in their plans for God to change them if he wanted to. A look of stress came over one of the girls. She said, “If I don’t get into U of I my life will be over.” That’s tough to respond to because so much of her time and energy has gone into these plans, that to simply say “lighten up,” would be a slap in the face. She needed to know that God wants her to make specific plans, and that in all likelihood, her college destination will be U of I; because it’s a good fit for her, personally and academically. Her hard work will be rewarded.

I encouraged her, and the others, to pray this prayer…
“Lord, I’m so glad that you know me, and that you direct my plans. My plan is to go to U of I and major in _______. I ask that you bless my plans and open the right doors for me. But if you have another path for me, I’m willing to go where you lead. Open the doors that you would have me walk through, and give me your wisdom to make the right choices.”

This should be our prayer, no matter what plans we make. It completely takes the pressure off of us. It’s his plan, not ours. We need to be faithful to lead productive lives for the Kingdom. I hope you’re interrupted soon.

Brian

~ by Brian on November 20, 2008.