When God Disrupts Our Plans And Interrupts Our Life

When God Disrupts our plans and Interrupts our Life

By

Bishop Melvin L. Maughmer, Jr.

OPENING: - There is an old saying that goes “If you want to make God laugh then tell Him your plans”. Well let me just say God is not maliciously sitting on the throne in heaven laughing at every plan we make. The Bible says in Proverbs 16:9 “A man’s heart deviseth his way but the Lord directeth his steps”.

I am very meticulous when it comes to planning especially like our cruises and vacations. I will plan a cruise two years out or more, then I will read and research to make sure I pick the right excursions, find the quaint little restaurants that are off the tourist paths, making sure every little nuance is in place. I try to live by the motto that early is on time and on time is late which was drilled into me in the Army. I firmly believe that if something starts at 9 o’clock you don’t show up at 9 but you get there at least 15 minutes early or else, you are late.

Now don’t let me plan to do something at a certain time and have something disrupt my plans, an accident, flat tire, catching every red light in town, getting behind that driver that only wants to do 35 in a 55 mph zone I get agitated, irritated, upset, my blood pressure rises and my wife will say calm down your going to give yourself a stroke by stressing out over what you can’t control.

So often we believe that we are in control of every situation and when we realize that we don’t have control how we respond impacts us, our health, our relationships, our attitudes and other areas of our lives. So often people fail to progress in the will of God because of a preconceived idea that we have to be in control and will fail to step out of their comfort zones in fear of losing control. As creatures of habit, we strive to hold onto and be in control of our lives.

Webster’s Dictionary defines interruptions as things that stop or hinder by breaking into the flow, to delay, stall, impede or stop the progress of something.

How do you handle interruptions in your plans and life. Do you get agitated, upset, irritated, mad, frustrated and many other emotions. The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 10:13 “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it”

The question today is what do you do when God disrupts your plans and interrupts your life?

We dare not get frustrated, agitated, or irritated with God, after all He is God, He is sovereign and when we give Him pre-eminence in our lives there is going to come times when He disrupts our plans and interrupts our lives.

PRAYER: -

SCRIPTURE: - Proverbs 16:1,9,& 33 says “The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, is from the Lord. A man's heart deviseth his way: but the Lord directeth his steps. The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord”.

There are many kinds of interruptions that can happen in your life to put your life on hold. There are easy interruptions and difficult interruptions and sometimes these interruptions will even have you question God, look at Job.

The way you handle the interruptions and what you learn from them realizing that God has a plan for your life, and He works all things out for your good is of the utmost importance.

Easy interruptions are those things that simply delays, slows down your progress, a closed door, a roadblock, a train and although they are frustrating, they are minor in the totality of life experience. We need to learn how to take these easy interruptions and use them as opportunities to practice patience, gentleness, kindness, and meekness.

Difficult interruptions are life changing events that are filled with emotional chaos, grief, financial instability or collapse and plans are restructured or cancelled altogether, and life is often put on hold. In difficult interruptions we must make sure to feel and express the emotions that God has given us and not sit by in deadly silence and quiet desperation. We can get angry and sin not Ephesians 4:26. We can cry - even Jesus wept John11:35, Luke 19:41, and Hebrews 5:7-9. We can even question God Job 38. God is not intimidated by our question He welcomes them because our questions are literally indications to ourselves that we are not in control and that God ultimately has a plan for our lives. Jeremiah 29:11 says “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. Jeremiah 1:5 says, Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations”.