Unscheduled Seasons

Does it get on your nerves, when you have planned out your day, but no one sticks to the schedule? You find yourself looking around asking, ‘How did this happen? This is not how things were supposed to go!’ We all know the scene too well. Everything could be in its place and running on all cylinders then suddenly, without warning, things come to a halt. No matter how organized, prepared or determined we are, sometimes it seems our ‘to-do lists’ just won’t ever get checked off! 

Recently, anything I was trying to accomplish in my own attempt was sidetracked by something else. It wasn’t just a days’ worth of events either, unfortunately. This trend went on longer than anticipated.  Tasks were not being completed, paper stacks were building, unanswered emails and calls nagged. I tried to keep my focus on the Lord and not let frustration or anger get ahead of me. But, in some areas I failed miserably. Rest assured, God ultimately has the final say in both our every day and the greater seasons of life. 

Perhaps the scheduling error was my own.

My husband gets a good chuckle out of me as I enter events in our shared calendar. I’m usually working so fast that more often than not, I need to edit my errors. (Unless of course we want to meet people at 2am for coffee!) Do I commit these same errors when scheduling my life with the Lord?  Am I moving too fast? Perhaps I am not consulting with the One who created time and space in the first place. 

“In her heart, she plans her course, but the Lord determines her steps.” Proverbs 16: 9 (pronoun liberty taken).

When things seem out of place, the question needs to be asked, “did I get ahead of the Lord?”  Did I get too big for my britches and think that I had it all figured out?  Even though God is all-powerful, and omniscient, He still gives us the opportunity to have free will and make choices.  The question remains if we included Him in the decision making process. 

Regain perspective.

“When my heart is overwhelmed, lead me to the rock that is higher than I.” Psalm 61:2

During my recent unscheduled season, this verse was refreshing to my spirit.  If you feel the rug has been pulled out from underneath you, that you are drowning or spinning out of control, grab hold of the Lord. 

In Acts 9, Saul was a man who was feared because he tormented and persecuted the Christians of the early church.  I do not think Paul had it in his calendar to be thrown off his horse and go blind for a few days to meet the love of God in a radical way.  Furthermore, I also do not believe Ananias was waiting around to be the guy to go to Saul and pray with him.  In fact, Ananias dialogues with God in disagreement of this directive in his day (Acts 9:13-15). When the Lord adjusts your schedule, be willing to yield to the new plan.

Savor the season. 

“To everything there is a season. A time for every activity under Heaven.
Ecclesiastes 3:1

We cannot argue the fact that we live in a fallen world. God is not in the business of handing out sickness just to heal us from it, nor is He going to wrangle up some problem in your life just so you will run to Him.  We are to remain steadfast in our walk with Christ through every season.

·       Our response through the unexpected changes reflects our trust in the Lord and His sovereignty.

·       Is your time your idol?

·       Do you feel that God interferes with your set schedule?

·       At times the greatest move of God often interferes with our timetables.

At the Prevail conference, Session Three was running behind schedule by 10 minutes and our main speaker had not even taken the platform yet! She needed to be finished on time in order to catch a plane. However, she felt impressed to change her message, add a video and a worship song. Changing these elements at the last minute did not seem fit into the already established schedule. Yet, what happened in response to these changes, was a powerful move of God! The Spirit of God dropped in the room like a lead balloon! Women were encountering the Almighty God in a fresh way.  Some of the most powerful encounters with God happen to us at what seems the most inconvenient times. In order to catch the move of His Spirit, we must be willing to see what God sees from the perspective of His cross, from His most holy vantage point.  If we can do this, we won’t be frustrated when the schedule lags or changes. 

Unscheduled seasons should shift our focus back to the Savior. 

There’s truth in that mouthful!  So, scratch out your plans.  Rip that page out of your planner.  Edit that calendar in your phone.  With a humbled heart, go back to the drawing board.  Open your Bible and with folded hands in prayer, refocus on Him and not where you thought you were headed.  Remember He is faithful.

If He’s truly the author and finisher of your faith then that also makes Him in charge and an overseer of your schedules. Give Him permission to rewrite your story, edit your schedule or your daily planner and your to-do list. Perhaps He’s calling you to a place of solitude where you can pray more rather than do more. Perhaps He needs you to remember that He’s better than all the busyness that you are consumed with. He is closer than you think and more detailed than your planner can ever hope to be.  What seems off schedule to you was on His errands list the whole time. And though He’s the author and finisher (or completer of our faith), get this: His story has no end. No pauses. No detours. The beauty in this detail is that we get to walk daily with the Master Planner.  If we do it His way, there won’t be any glitches, upsets or disturbances.  His ways are higher.  So, I think I’ll stick to His schedule.