Finding Grace in the Interruptions - Part 3

Hi, and welcome back to my mini-series on Finding Grace in the Interruptions. If you missed Part 1 or Part 2, just follow the links back to them.

Part 1 talked about how interruptions can be God's way of trying to teach us something, or just his plan for our day. Part 2 looked at how sometimes our attitude to interruptions might be a sign that we have our priorities wrong or we have over-committed ourselves and not allowed enough 'God-space' in our lives. In this third and final part I wanted to mention one other way of interpreting the interruptions, and that's when the Enemy has something to do with it.

Anna knocked on the door at Kylie's house. She was a little nervous but also excited. Kylie had been a friend for a long time, and had only recently shown an interest in Anna's faith. She'd wanted to know more, and had actually invited Anna over to talk about it today at her home. The two of them should have some uninterrupted time together because Kylie's husband had taken the kids out for the afternoon and wouldn't be back for a couple of hours. The two friends had just settled down on the sofa with a mug of steaming coffee each when the phone rang. "Oh, I'd better just check it's nothing important", said Kylie, jumping up. Fifteen minutes later she returned, very apologetic. "I'm sorry, I hadn't heard from that old school friend for such a long time, it would have been rude to hang up too soon!" Amazingly, just 3 minutes later the phone rang again, this time it was another mum needing to rearrange something in the carpool. And so it continued for the whole two hours! Anna began to realise that these were not just coincidences - Somebody really didn't want their conversation to take place at all! "I need to tell some people to pray for me and Kylie", thought Anna to herself, as she reluctantly waved goodbye and drove off, not having been able to share any of what she had really wanted to tell Kylie that afternoon.

Have you every had any experiences like that? Sometimes it can be quite clear, like it was to Anna, that it is the Enemy who is causing the interruptions. Spiritual warfare is a real but often underestimated part of our Christian life. It might not be so obvious as that. Perhaps the Enemy is enjoying sending a series of mini household disasters your way (broken washing machines, grazed knees, toilet accidents...) just to make you lose your cool and provoke you to anger and sin.

Perhaps you don't honestly know whether this particular hindrance is from the Enemy or from God. This is often something I struggle with. For example, is thinking I might have to miss this family event because my child has a high temperature something the Enemy has sent my way and I should pray against, or is it something from God, meaning He didn't want me to go to the event after all?

I think there are two key things to remember:

1) God is in control! Even when the Enemy is a work, God is still in control! He is sovereign, He is all-knowing.

"And we know that in all things, God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose." Romans 8v28

2) We should pray!

         a) Pray about the situation - for God to show you what His will is, and whether this is something from the Enemy you should pray against or something you should accept willing as sent by Him. Ask for wisdom:

"If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all..." James 1v5

    b) Pray also about your attitudes and responses, that the Enemy would not provoke you to sin, if that's what his goal is:

"May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer." Psalm 19v13-14

 "because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires." James 1v20

c) Pray for peace in your heart, either if there's a change of plans that needs to happen or a decision that needs to be made as a result of the interruption/hindrance. Jesus tells us, (no, promises us!) that if we're constantly bringing our worries and concerns and requests to God, then in return we will have amazing peace in our hearts:

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4v6-7

There's a lovely prayer by Susanna Wesley, the mother of John and Charles Wesley:

"Grant that it may not be in the power of any to rob me of the peace that results from a firm trust in You. Whenever crosses or troubles are met without, may all be well within."

I want to close this series of posts with a wonderful quote I came across the other day (which actually sparked off the idea for the posts in the first place):

" I think I find most help in trying to look on all the interruptions and hindrances to work that one has planned out for oneself as discipline, trials sent by God to help one against getting selfish over one's work. Then one can feel that perhaps one's true work - one's work for God - consists in doing some trifling haphazard thing that has been thrown into one's day. It is not a waste of time, as one is tempted to think, it is the most important part of the work of the day - the part one can best offer to God. After such a hindrance, do not rush after the planned work; trust that the time to finish it will be given sometime, and keep a quiet heart about it."

Annie Keary, 1825 - 1879  (quoted in Keep a Quiet Heart, by Elisabeth  Elliot)

Q: Have you had any experiences when you felt sure the Enemy was trying to put an obstacle in your path?

Q: How do you discern best what God's will is for you when a sudden, unexpected situation arises?

I look forward to hearing your thoughts and comments!

May we all keep a quiet heart today, whatever comes our way :-)

Abide in Him

Photo credits: Freedigitalphotos.net: phone - akeeris, road closed - dan, new direction - phanlop88

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