Upland, CA — Looking back over my life there were times when I was trying to accomplish a certain something, and things would pop up that looked like an interruption to my dreams or goals. All of us have had days when our plans fall apart. The meeting gets canceled, the car did not start, or the opportunity we were counting on slips through our hands. When we face these situations, it is very easy to get frustrated and wonder why things seem so hard for us. But what if the interruptions we face are not personal. What if it just was not the right time? Or what if it could be a divine intervention to keep something from us that was never meant for us in the first place. Life’s interruptions can be interventions that will put us on a different path to where we really are supposed to be.
Most of us like to feel in control. We plan our schedules, set our goals, and work hard to make life run smoothly. At least I do. When something interrupts those plans, it rattles our cage. We feel annoyed, inconvenienced, or even angry that life has not worked out exactly how we planned it. But sometimes, what feels like an obstacle is really a guardrail. The closed door we resent may be protecting us from a danger we could not see that was right around the corner. How many times have you heard stories of someone who was delayed in traffic, only to discover later that an accident happened on the very road they would have traveled? Or someone who missed out on a job they desperately wanted, only to land a better, more fulfilling opportunity later? At the time, it felt like an interruption. Looking back, it was an intervention. Over the years I have had my share of situations that later I was grateful I did not get my way.
What I have learned over the years is we think we know what is best for us, but sometimes we do not. We can assess certain things based on our past, but none of us can forecast the future and know the whole picture. That is why I have learned to put my trust in God. As my grandmother would say, work as if it depends on you and pray as if it depends on God. He not only knows what tomorrow will bring, but he also controls our tomorrows. What may feel like a setback might be saving us from harm or preparing us for something greater. As the saying goes a setback is only a setup for a comeback. What have you recently experienced that seemed like a setback? How can you reimagine that situation and pivot to find the beauty?
When our plans unravel, it is natural to feel disappointed. But with time, we often look back and realize the interruption was a blessing in disguise. The relationship that ended saved us from heartbreak down the road. The job we did not get opened the door to something more aligned with our purpose. The delay that slowed us down gave us space to grow before we stepped into the next chapter. Interruption becomes intervention when we choose to see it differently. Instead of feeling like woe is me, flip the script and say to yourself where will life lead me now? Learning to view interruptions as interventions requires humility and trust. It means admitting that we do not have all the foresight we think we do. It means believing that sometimes life knows better than we do. Some interruptions are painful and confusing, and it may take years before we understand the purpose behind them. But even in those seasons, we can hold onto the possibility that what feels disruptive now may one day reveal itself as protective and lead us to where we ultimately need to be.
Wendy is The Purpose Partner, Life Strategist, Coach, Consultant, Author, and Speaker.
Healing Without Hate: It’s a choice. It’s a lifestyle. Pass it on. Visit www.WendyGladney.com and www.forgivingforliving.org to learn more.
