little interruptions

 "She delighted in seeing her plan upset by unexpected events, saying that it gave her great comfort, and that she looked on such things as an assurance that God was watching over her stewardship, was securing the accomplishment of His will, and working out His own designs. Whether she traced the secondary causes to the prayer of a child, to the imperfection of an individual, to obstacles arising from misunderstandings, or to interference of outside agencies, she was joyfully and graciously ready to recognize the indication of God's ruling hand, and to allow herself to be guided by it."  - The Life and Letters of Janet Erskine Stuart

 

I remember watching Dom struggle once to fit a little block into the square whole it was made for.  After several minutes of trying to manuever the object unsuccessfully, I held his hand and showed him how to adjust the block to fit through the hole.  He was initially frustrated at my interference, but when he watched the object fall into the belly of the toy, he was excited to see his progress. 

 

I wonder how often God has tried to intervene in my life, and I have pushed Him away, for fear that he is ruining my plans.  How many people have I brushed off because I was in a hurry to be somewhere?  What messages have I missed because I was running around?  How many projects or plans have I messed up because I tried to go it alone instead of allowing God to guide me through it?  And when intereferences do occur, how many times have I complained about it instead of believing that God works in and through ALL circumstances - even the inconvenient ones?

 

What if we delighted in seeing our plans interupted by unexpected events?  What if we could really view all of these inconviences as a divine opportunities to see God's gentle hand in our life, slowly guiding us through our journey and training us in the way we should go?  

 

How wonderful to live life this way.