24 July 2012 ~ 15 Comments

When God Steps In and Interrupts The Rhythm of Our Lives

Christian Life Random

This is a guest post from Ngina Otiende. You can check out her blog and follow her on twitter!

Confession – I love a peaceful, easy existence. I like a life that is full and thriving. I enjoy a life that is secure and controlled.  I don’t think am alone in this – most human beings don’t like change. I read somewhere that the only person who likes change is a wet baby. 

The thing about the uninterrupted life is that we are not always aware of its un-interruptededness (excuse my made-up word). We don’t always know that we normal, ordinary, in need of a change, for the next level. Many of us are persuaded we are doing all we know to do. 

And not that we do not desire more. Like all dreamers, we do. But we do not understand the depths or heights needed for the next level.  

Change

There are changes we can’t make by ourselves. It takes God. It takes Him stepping in and interrupting the rhythm of our lives.    

Twelve months ago, as my husband and I made the 8,000-mile trip from Kenya to a new country of residence – the United States – we had no idea just how much God had stepped into the ordinariness of our lives and had changed it’s rhythm   

Back home, we were in full-throttle purpose pursuit. Life was not perfect but we could see where we were going. We loved our church, our career and business, our couples group, our ministry involvement, and our food.

But God had more in store. And to get us there, He needed to change a few things around.

Most of us typically respond to change with resistance. Oh yes, we may start with excitement, but as reality weighs in, the doubts soars. 

I know I yearned, no, bawled for my former life. I grieved and told Him I couldn’t stand the changes in our daily lives, work, ministry, relationships.

I am still adjusting, still learning. But I have learned a couple of things.

Why the interruptions

Without interruption, we will never be aware of the places we need to change. 

We will not understand our capacity to change. 

We remain unaware of our potential.

We may never understand just how big and able God is. 

God changes our rhythm in order to dig out and change those deep ingrained behaviors, thinking, and habits that keep us from where He needs us to go. Attitudes we carry but remain totally oblivious to.  

Unless God interrupts your life, your dream may never come to pass. Because you never grow the muscles necessarily to bring it forth.  Muscles which grow during change, discomfort, pain, transition. 

What to do when He interrupts the rhythm of your life (a new job, a new baby, marriage, new culture, new school e.t.c ) 

1. Stay at His feet

Meditate on His word, get closer to Him. Don’t run away. Don’t fizzle out and die because you need Him now more than ever. 

Stay close and learn the lessons He needs you to learn. He is a God of purpose and is leading you somewhere. Learn what it is. Prepare. Do what you need to. Start small, listen and learn. 

2. Do not compare yourself with the uninterrupted. 

Don’t compare yourself to those that are walking without a limp (read Jacob’s story). Your life is different, learn to run your race. You are not normal or ordinary. God has a plan for you and you alone and the only way it will materialize is if you learn to be comfortable with being different. Every person has their season. You must accept, understand, and live your season.

3. Understand that God sends us to lonely deserted place when He’s making major inner changes – in order to bring major outer changes. 

You cannot come to and thrive in a new level with old thinking. You need a mind change. And it’s difficult for God to catch your attention when you are ambling along, busy, and connected to the common. 

God needs you alone – focused, alert, willing, pliable, vulnerable. And such changes happen best in lonely places. Places of quietness and depth and of solitude and need. 

Don’t try to fight to have all your friends and family join you in this journey. It’s yours. You don’t have to explain it to everybody. Not everyone will get it (you also don’t get it all). Be at peace being alone in the desert. It’s a season and it shall soon be over.

What has been your experience when it comes to change? Has God ever interrupted the rhythm of your life?
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  • http://www.lincolnparks.com Lincoln Parks

    Ngina, when you speak about staying at his feet I can’t help but think about Mary who sat at Jesus’s feet. She wanted to soak up all the knowledge that he had to offer no matter what was going on. If we do that like you say, there is no going wrong. More of us need to continue to sit at his feet.

    Yes, I do get times when I am weary and think that the direction I’m headed in is not right. However, that’s when I know if I’m at his feet, I am not going in the wrong direction.

    • http://intentionaltoday.com/ Ngina Otiende

       Wow, Lincoln I love this revelation you have – you cannot be going in the wrong direction when you are at His feet. I believe too, that that is where our confidence comes from. If we heard Him at the onset of our journey and are seeking to stay in obedience, then He remains in control. This is a great word. Thank you sharing it, it’s truly encouraging.

  • http://intentionaltoday.com/ Ngina Otiende

    Thank you for having me here today Brandon. Really appreciate!

    • http://www.brandongilliland.com/ Brandon Gilliland

       Thank you so much for guest posting!

  • http://theregoi.com/ floyd

    Awesome post! You bring up a point that most of us ignore; God is in the business of putting us through what others only dread or dream about. I can’t find anyone in the Bible who helped shape this world for God who had a cake walk. 

    It is in the interruptions that we learn. I loved that you pointed that out, we all need to be reminded of the truth…. even when it’s uncomfortable. God has great things in store, but not for the ones hiding under the bed in fear…

    • http://intentionaltoday.com/ Ngina Otiende

       Floyd, you are so right. You can’t stay ordinary and be useful.

      I love that God desires to interrupt all of us, the opportunity to do great things is there for everyone. But to enter in, we must step up and flow with Him – as you put it, come out from under the bed :) .

      Thank you so much for sharing.

    • http://www.brandongilliland.com/ Brandon Gilliland

       So true! I totally agree with you!

  • http://tcavey.blogspot.com/ TCAvey

    This post brought me to tears. Thank you.
    I am going to re-read this a few times!

    ” learn to be comfortable with being different.” I am in the process of learning this. #3 really spoke to me. It reminded me of Abraham going up the mountain to sacrifice his promised son Isaac. He had to go alone. God dealt with his heart and when he came back down the mountain- he looked the same but his inside had changed! God had grown him spiritually. But first he had to walk up that mountain alone (yes Isaac was with him, but he didn’t know what was transpiring).

    • http://intentionaltoday.com/ Ngina Otiende

       Thank you TC and praise be to God. Am so glad that the post blessed you.

      I can imagine Abraham going up the mountain, with his beloved son by his side, knowing what God had asked of Him, fully putting his faith in Him.  Not easy. But He did it. And was changed forever.

      It is a such a private walk, nothing gets done until He’s gets through to us.

      Thank so much for sharing.

    • http://www.brandongilliland.com/ Brandon Gilliland

       Wow! That’s awesome! I’m glad the post spoke to you.

  • http://taunetnelel.blogspot.com/ JepB

    This post speaks to me in so many ways. I mean I would be tripping over every point just to show how much it is true in my life. God is definitely interrupting the rhythm of my life. I mean I’ve been through the excitement then the doubts set in. “Can I fit in those big shoes…”

    This is the painful process, “change those deep ingrained behaviors, thinking, and habits that keep us from where He needs us to go” – until I stop fighting and start following God’s leading, well, I won’t be ready for God to step in.

    Well I thought I could carry my whole clan along with me, but God needs me alone and vulnerable. Point 3 just hit home, thanks Ngina.

    • http://intentionaltoday.com/ Ngina Otiende

       I am so glad the post resonated and blessed you JepB.

      We will not go anywhere until we let go and let God. In all areas!

      Thank you for dropping in and sharing. Always a pleasure to share and interact with you.

      • http://www.brandongilliland.com/ Brandon Gilliland

         Thanks Ngina!

    • http://www.brandongilliland.com/ Brandon Gilliland

       I’m glad that this post spoke to you. It did to me as well. Thanks Ngina for guest posting on my site this week while I was out!

      I like how you also mentioned to stop fighting and start following God’s leading. So true!

      Thanks for commenting!

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