The Importance Of Being Interruptible

I was in the middle of a busy morning recently when I opened an email from a writer friend containing her latest blog post. The first few paragraphs got my attention like it was written just for me. I had to continue reading. I was being convicted right there in my kitchen, between chores, before preparing to run an errand and have lunch with a friend.

It went straight to my heart. I had to stop and pray. I got my Bible and journal and sat in my prayer chair to take it up with God. I prayed for about an hour and jotted down a few things in my journal. I’m still sorting through the thoughts He gave me during that time, but one thing jumped out at me. “Be interruptible.”

That’s the last thing I wrote down that day. If I start from those two words in my prayer journal and keep pulling back, like zooming out, this is a message the Lord has continued to press into my heart for the last few months. I needed to be interruptible in that moment when I read my friend’s words. Fortunately, I was that day. I literally stopped what I was doing to go pray and listen for an extended time.

I’m not always that accommodating. And I’m most certainly not that willing to stop what I’m doing and switch to something else. In fact, I really dislike it. When I do stop, I wonder about my attitude towards said interruption. Friends, I feel like I experience interruptions frequently, and on bigger scales. It’s not just the laundry that gets bumped for something else, it has been big projects getting bumped for a variety of issues. Some have been for other big projects. Some have been simply to answer questions or give someone time. Some have been to rest or to pray.

We need to be willing to be interrupted. An interruption is something that stops our progress. It is forcing us to break our stride in some area. We’ve all had those moments, and they are often frustrating to say the least. However, there is value in allowing yourself to be interrupted by the Holy Spirit. You might not be the biggest benefactor in the moment, but then again, you might be and not realize it.

I think of one occasion last summer when I was on a walk early in a day I had planned to use for rest. I saw an older lady painting her fence. I walked on, and God interrupted me. He said, “Go back and help her.” After a minute of internal debate on whether I was hearing Him correctly, I turned around and went back. She was thankful for the help and shared about how her husband had recently died and she had so much work that needed done. She needed help and needed to talk. I told her why I turned around, and she was shocked that I would give up my time to help her.

I let myself be interruptible and was so glad I did. But how many times do I refuse or just get annoyed and angry instead? It’s certainly a challenge with a busy schedule, and especially with my kids.

Our perfect example, of course, is Jesus. He was interrupted frequently, probably much more than we can fathom. He didn’t get frustrated with kids interrupting. Matthew 19 tells us of how Jesus was answering questions and was interrupted by people bringing little kids to Him. In verse 13 we see that the disciples rebuked those people. They tried to protect Jesus from the interruptions, but it was the disciples that Jesus stopped. He said, “do not hinder them for the kingdom of Heaven belongs to such as these.”   

Another occasion that comes to mind from Mark 5 beginning at verse 21. Jesus is busy with a large crowd and here comes Jairus, a synagogue ruler, asking Jesus to go to his home, perhaps to change his entire course or plan for the day, and heal his daughter. One the way to Jairus’ home, Jesus encounters the woman with the issue of blood. That is interruption on top of interruption. One of the things that strikes me about this situation is that these interruptions made room for miracles.

Those miracles no doubt led to increased faith by many. I wonder about the woman’s testimony. How many people do you suppose she told? How many people believed because of that testimony? Meanwhile the added delays made sure that Jesus didn’t get to Jairus’ daughter before she died. Instead, we get a full blown raised from the dead miracle that no doubt altered the perspective of the synagogue ruler. Do you think He believed that Jesus was the Messiah then?

Jesus was interruptible and miracles happened. What would happen if we were more interruptible? Maybe we would find ourselves in a situation that gives a neighbor needed help and a testimony. Or maybe it would lead us into fruitful prayer time while dishes sit in the dishwasher a while longer. It might be a conversation at the soccer field that turns into the dearest, life-altering friendship, or it could simply be that a few minutes spent engaging with a child shifts the entire direction of his or her life. Then again, what if just changes us? It’s so worth it.

No one needs this reminder today more than I do. Interruptions can be life-giving and life-changing, but we must be willing to roll with them and have a little faith that God is still at work. Friend, He is still on the job. Will you give up your plan for His? Are you interruptible? Will you make some room miracles? You’ll be glad you did.

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