Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – March 11, 2017
The word of the LORD came to Jonah son of Amittai: “Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.” Jonah 1:1-2
God may be interrupting your plans. He does this from time to time according to His will. You were going in one direction, and He stopped you in your tracks and led you in an about-face. It can be disconcerting and more than a little scary. But do not be surprised if this happens to you. Your current path may be the opposite of what He intended. Maybe you got in a hurry and ran ahead without Him or maybe you have been reluctant to move forward and missed Him.
Either way, the Holy Spirit has now arrested your attention and is leading you into uncharted waters. Like Phillip, you are an agent of God (Acts 8:29). You may be uncomfortable with the assignment because of the novelty in its nuances. God is moving you out of your comfort zone and into His arena of obedience. If you disobey and stay put, you jeopardize proclaiming Jesus to the fullest.
“What do people get for all the toil and anxious striving with which they labor under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 2:23).
The consequences of disobedience are not isolated to you alone. They ripple throughout your relationships. Don’t wait for people to be hurt before you say yes to heaven’s directive. God interrupts for a reason and for a season. The reason may be to protect you from a convergence of bad decision-making. You don’t know what’s around the corner in your life, but He does. He is watching out for you, so this severe turn in His will may be to protect you from a pattern of bad behavior.
Do not allow pride to keep you from changing your mind. Promptings from the Holy Spirit make pride uncomfortable because it means giving up control and submitting in humility. If you continue to drive forward in pride, you are destined for unnecessary pain. Take this interruption as a sign from God to slow down, reevaluate, and recalibrate.
Interruptions from the Lord are not to be ignored. He has something better if you are willing to be bold in your obedience. He will prepare you and provide for you as you move in this new direction. Some people will resist, but others will be relieved that you are leading them in a different direction. They felt a hesitation in their heart to move forward but didn’t want their disagreement to be perceived as disloyalty. So your honesty about the reality of the situation has given them permission to be open about their reservations. This can happen at home or at work.
Your team may have agreed to spend money on a project or a person, but now the funds are not available and wisdom does not spend what it does not have. God, many times, interrupts your plans through a decrease in cash. His interruptions are intended to get you into environments where you can be blessed. So, see His interruptions as a step up, not a step down. Thank Him that He cared enough to stop you in your tracks and redirect you down a better path. Invite divine diversions. You are wise when you follow the Lord’s interruptions.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, show me Your love in life’s little and large interruptions.Application
What has disrupted my life that the Lord wants to use for His glory, not my comfort?Related Reading
Deuteronomy 32:4; Mark 5:27-28; Luke 5:19; 1 Thessalonians 5:13 Today’s reading is taken from Boyd’s most popular book: Seeking Daily the Heart of God, a 365 day devotional.Post/Tweet today
Interruptions from the Lord may mean He has something better if we are willing to be bold in our obedience. #Godinterruptions #WisdomHuntersWorship Resource
4 minutes – Bethel: Only Jesus Check out Shana and Boyd’s newest devotional book Two Minutes in the Bible for Women. Available now! If you are blessed by these daily devotionals please prayerfully consider a donation to support Wisdom Hunters Resources. We are trusting the Lord for His provision. Learn how to help. Our free Apple appComments are closed.
If you disobey and stay put, you jeopardize proclaiming Jesus to the fullest. The consequences of disobedience are not isolated to you alone. They ripple throughout your relationships. Don’t wait for people to be hurt before you say yes to heaven’s directive. God interrupts for a reason and for a season. The reason may be to protect you from a convergence of bad decision-making. You don’t know what’s around the corner in your life, but He does. He is watching out for you, so this severe turn in His will may be to protect you from a pattern of bad behavior.
Does this mean that I caused the death of my Zoie my dog / best friend and the turmoil in my relationship??
Dear Rick,
Thank you for reaching out to us with your thought provoking comments. My thoughts are that the devotional,”God Interruption” resonated in many of our reader’s hearts and gave us all pause to stop and think about these “interruptions” in our lives and the possible reason for them.
Boyd points out that “The consequences of disobedience are not isolated to you alone. They ripple throughout your relationships.” I am thankful for that powerful reminder – it certainly puts bad decision making in a new light (it isn’t only about us, but also our loved ones…)
God’s interruption in our lives was clearly summed up when Boyd wrote, “His interruptions are intended to get you into environments where you can be blessed. So, see His interruptions as a step up, not a step down. Thank Him that He cared enough to stop you in your tracks and redirect you down a better path.” Amen and Amen!
Rick, as far as your question about the death of Zoie and the turmoil in your relationship, I can’t answer that, but we knew WHO is listening to your heart and your questions. I am sorry you lost Zoie and understand the sadness that comes with that loss. I am grateful that our Comforter understands it, too.
We are so glad you are a part of the Wisdom Hunter’s family and look forward to hearing from you again.
Believing and trusting~
Gwynne
“I will praise you, O Lord, with all of my heart; I will tell of your wonders.
I will be glad and rejoice in you; I will sing praise to your name, O Most High.”
Psalm 9:1-2