Happy Interruptions

I like to make a plan and follow the plan. I was a Brownie and then a Girl Scout. Our motto was “Always be Prepared” and I still think it’s a fine slogan.  I even plan the ad lib parts of songs I’m supposed to sing. Goals are good. An organized house is a happy home. I’m a type A with a plus. Anything that disturbs my well-ordered life will throw me into a tizzy.  Interruptions are just that, incidents that break the flow of a structured schedule.  I don’t like interruptions. No, no, no.

So, when in the Bible, James says in chapter 4 verses13-15, (my translation) “Come on now you planners, you type A plussers. You think you’ve got your whole year planned and written in ink on your calendars.  You think you have a handle on your finances and your future. But you can’t predict the future. You don’t actually know what is going to happen tomorrow, or even the next minute. You are not “all that.” Instead, you need to make room in your schedule for God’s interruptions. You should look forward to the pauses in your plan that come from God’s plan.”

With James up in my face, I just want to say, “Dude, you talkin to me? You talkin to me,” while brandishing a clenched fist.  And, of course, he is and so is the conviction of the Holy Spirit. God wants me to give Him room to change my plans. By holding my calendar so tightly, I’m not tuned into His grand design. I’m complaining about interruptions that loosens my control and not submitting to His control over my life. My inability to be flexible and welcome these interruptions is just plain old bad. James calls it arrogance about being large and in charge and that this is evil in verse 16.

Hey, James has a point. All interruptions to man-made plans are for our good if we love our Lord. (Romans 8:28) And the best and happiest interruption is going to be when Jesus returns to gather us to be with Him. So, I’m going to make my little plans and then start looking for God’s big plans to change my directions. I’m going to actually look for interruptions that leave me less than prepared.  Wow, that doesn’t sound like a former Girl Scout. And I’m really going to happily drop everything I’m doing when Jesus says, “Tah-tada-dah (that’s the trumpet,) I’m here to permanently interrupt and take you with Me.”

Now that will be a happy interruption!