My women's bible study is going through the book of Jonah. The study by Priscilla Shirer is called "Jonah-Navigating A Life Interrupted". I'm learning to look at these interruptions differently, as "divine interventions". Some days it is easier to look at them this way and other days not so easy.
Last month several interruptions occurred in the same week. The interruptions included 3 car accidents in one week! Rarely does Cup staff ever have any accidents and there were 3 in one week!!! The first accident could have easily been fatal but all 3 parties walked away from it with no broken bones or internal injuries. One of the accidents was mine (first collision I have ever had) and was with a black cow at night. It could have been so much worse, but God was merciful and the cow did not come through my windshield and I was unharmed, just shaken. My truck was badly damaged though and it was followed by having to drive to Zimbabwe 3 days later to assist the start up of some new ministries there. I had to find another vehicle to take. So what do you do when the interruptions hit?
When tragedy strikes people you care about, it is not so hard to drop what you are doing and do what you can to help minister to them. It is an interruption where God started revealing to me that He has gifted to me with some very special people in my life, even beyond the three involved in the accident. My divine intervention showed me that God is our protector and does miracles but also that He is sovereign and if the outcome had been different, He still would been there through it.
So what about when the interruption is a major imposition? Like messing up your only vehicle in a time when you have no extra money for repairs? Okay, the outcome could have been worse (most impacts that are head on with the side of a cow end up with more damage and injury and I had not been hurt just shaken a bit). Honestly, it was hard to see the divine intervention in it. On top of all that, I felt God telling me that I was not to ask for help. A true test of if my faith in Him was real or just talk. I just want to say that I am being stretched! I'm liking it in hind site but when I was going through it, it was tough. I shared at church about tithing one Sunday shortly after the incident and asked the congregation to hold me accountable as I trusted God and as I continued with my tithe even though I didn't know how I was going to pay to get my truck fixed. I stepped out in faith and found that the whole accident was a divine intervention that increased my faith!!! After that Sunday, an anonymous donor gave me enough money through Children's Cup in the states (so doubt he/she had heard my testimony) to pay for my repairs!!!! Wow!! I am deciding that the inconvenience was worth the growth!! I need to continue to remember His faithfulness when I have to walk again by faith in the future.
And lastly, what about interruptions of your routine? Routines are comfortable, they don't challenge you with things that are unfamiliar to you. I had to travel to another African country, Zimbabwe, that same week. I was on roads I did not know, with maps that are not very helpful. Even with GPS there were moments of confusion. The money is different, the police are more prevalent to catch you violating the speed or other rules, the borders have restrictions and it is just not comfortable. We met up with other co-workers from Zimbabwe who helped us navigate the border which was a blessing when we were unable to take the vehicle we had across the border. At this point, after kicking myself for not making sure I had the right paperwork, I released it. God help provide a way for us to leave the car safely in South Africa and travel with our Zimbabwe co-workers into the country. I finally reached a point of accepting God's divine interventions even when I don't see a purpose in it. Maybe it saved me from another accident, maybe it wasn't about me at all but about someone who helped us or maybe I will never know. I will say that Zimbabwe was great to visit and see how ministry is done in another country. It was great to see God moving there and making a difference. But I have to say, it was great getting back to my beloved Swaziland where I have discovered I am the most comfortable. It is home!
Thank you Lord for the interruptions in my life! Thank you for helping me realize how blessed I am and how you continue to be faithful to provide, care, love on and grow me!! Don't stop!!! Lord my prayer is that you continue to interrupt my life and those of my friends so we can grow in expecting the unexpected. . .we can see you at work more vividly . . . and we can walk on a path of obedience even when we can't see the road!!! My God is an AWESOME God!!!!
