Yep! You read that right. This week’s Mid-Week Encouragement post was interrupted. I had a thought in my mind, and then suddenly there was one thing after another that happened. Sure, I had plans. I had plans that were scheduled to be done at specific times. I ended up with a majority finished, but then, when it came to this one post, I just could not put into words what was on my mind.
I finally realized that maybe, just maybe, it was time for me to take a breather. I have been dealing with some physical issues and am still trying to keep things going with the kids and the blog. Yet, I am exhausted from it all. So, I took a moment and laid down. Something I NEVER do.
Now, you may be different from me. You may think stopping and taking a breather for the moment is easy. However, for me, stopping makes me feel as if I am missing out on something important or that there are things that will never get done because I stopped and took a moment. I have to literally work it out in my head that what I am doing is the right thing. My stopping, when necessary, is really quite essential to my overall health.
When life gets interrupted, how do you respond?
I’m definitely not an expert on the matter. I also know I talked about this before in several different posts, most recently in “Stop, Rest, and Eat.” Our health depends on us stopping and resting from time to time.
“Stop worrying about what the future holds. Rest my heart and mind by taking care of myself spiritually, mentally, emotionally, and physically. And to eat from the table of the King by delving into His Word on a continual basis, filling my cup up to the brim. In doing this, I will be able to move ahead in strength and fight the battles that are in front of me.”
“Stop, Rest, and Eat!”, makinmacon.com
We have options when life is interrupted by unforeseen circumstances.
When life throws us those unexpected curveballs, we can get frustrated and angry, blaming God or those around us. We end up moping and wallowing in self-pity. Suddenly, we become “negative Nancy” and declare that we will never see the light at the end of the tunnel. We end up making a mountain out of the molehill.
However, there is another option. We could look at the interruption as just a speed bump in our lives. We simply slow down and look at our circumstances for what they really are. Just a speed bump. Sure, it may look like the end of the world, but when we slow down and take the time to look at it from all the right angles, it might end up being a good thing in our lives. It causes us to reflect on where we are spiritually and physically.
There is an elderly lady in our church who has COPD (Chronic Inflammatory Lung Disease). This woman is a prayer warrior. I have watched her struggle to breathe with every step she takes, but she makes an effort to be at church every time she is able. She loves God and coming to His house to be in His presence. When the dreaded “C” word hit in 2020, she knew that it could be detrimental to her health. I remember speaking to her about it. She told me that she could get it from anywhere, but she knew that if it was her time to go, then she would be ready regardless. She still showed up to church with her walker. She would sit on her seat and lift her hands, loving on the Savior. She didn’t allow this interruption in her life to dissuade her from being in the presence of the Almighty.
When life hands you lemons, throw them at people!
I’m just kidding! In my post, “Lord, My Lemonade Has Gone Sour,” I talk about the feeling of everything just suddenly going wrong. My daughter, in her infinite wisdom, told me to squeeze what I could out of the lemons or throw them at people. It seems funny, but sometimes throwing them at people seems like the better answer. Don’t deny you’ve thought the same thing!
David felt the same way. Even though he was a man after God’s own heart, there were times he felt all alone. I wouldn’t doubt that he thought about wallowing in self-pity. Here he is, anointed as the next king of Israel, and he’s having to stay hidden from Saul, the one man who called on him every time he (Saul) felt he couldn’t be close to the Lord. Yet David shook himself and reminded himself of the importance of just seeing this as another speed bump in life.
“Why art though cast down, O my soul? And why art thou disquieted within me? Hope thou in God; for I shall yet praise Him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.” Psalm 42:11, KJV
I read something recently that caused me to view what we call the “mid-life crisis” differently. I’ve always thought that it was a moment where we suddenly did things that didn’t make any sense. We are in some way trying to make up for something in the past that we were unable to do. We know that our time on this earth is nearing its end, so we overcompensate by trying to make ourselves look younger, buying up things that aren’t necessary, or sometimes just giving up and wondering what the point of doing anything more is. Yet, this specific comment caused me to reflect on this time in my life differently.
“It is similar to coming to the crest of a hill and being able to see in both directions.”
The Woman’s Study Bible
I can see the past, let it go, and begin to move forward, creating something new and exciting! Yes, there will be more speed bumps ahead, but if I handle them correctly with the help of God, praising Him regardless of the outcome, then they will feel just like what they are: a speed bump. You don’t go flying over them; you slow down and take your time going over the speed bump so that you don’t end up tearing up the car or jarring your teeth loose in your mouth.
You’ve been interrupted, but that doesn’t mean you have to stop!
Keep going! Keep moving forward! Breathe! It’s okay to rest for a moment. It gives you a chance to look at the view and embrace the moment. Remember, this interruption is only for a moment, but it is how you handle it that will determine the outcome.
So…are you going to slowly go over that speed bump, resting, breathing, and spending some quality time with God so that He can help you through it, or are you going to try and fly over that speed bump, causing a bigger catastrophe than it initially was? The choice is always yours.
Now, maybe since this interruption has happened to me, I can move forward next week with what I’ve been feeling in my heart.
Remember, I am always praying for you, even if I don’t know who you are!
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