4 Notes to Self When the Unexpected Collides With Your Busy
Life’s moving along quite nicely for you…
You made it to work, the store or maybe the airport ahead of the crowd. You’re not rushed, and you just might have a little me-time before the big push of your day.
Or, maybe you finally got the kids off to school, to the grandparents or to bed, and now there’s definitely some me-time in sight.
But what do you do when the dog gets loose, you can’t find your keys, the babysitter cancels, you miss your flight or a Zoom call gets added to your already full schedule?
What goes off in your head when the unexpected collides with your busy, and suddenly, your day is thrown into slow motion, and all that momentum you had gets hijacked? Is it a delay or a divine interruption?
Imagine, for a moment, living a lifestyle where you actually went looking for—even anticipating—those kinds of unscheduled interruptions, with the idea that something extraordinary could come of them.
Take a closer look at the fine print of Jesus’ job description while He was on this earth, and you’re likely to find a disclaimer stating something to the effect: “All plans subject to change!”
In fact, if you randomly pulled a page out of Jesus’ Day Diary, it might look something like Luke 8:
- Impromptu teaching to large crowd that gathered spontaneously (verses 4-8)
- Follow-up meeting with disciples to explain teaching they didn’t get (verses 9-18)
- Mother and brothers showed up unexpectedly; got a little awkward (verses 19-21)
- Crossed lake with disciples; storm suddenly blew in and they lost it (verses 22-25)
- Demon-possessed man (naked, violent) immediately approached us (verses 26-30)
- Demons entered herd of pigs; pigs unexpectedly drowned in lake (verses 31-33)
- Town’s people spontaneously gathered; afraid, asked us to leave (verses 34-37)
- Crossed lake; man met our boat, begged for help, daughter dying (verses 37-42)
- Followed him (Jairus) home; on way, woman healed from bleeding (verses 42-48)
- Almost to house when messenger met us; Jairus’ daughter had died (verses 49-50)
- Arrived at house; full of mourners (had them leave); raised girl up (verses 51-56).
To Jesus, it was just another day in the life—a series of interruptions, unplanned events to which He willingly (even readily) submitted and subjected Himself.
To us it would have been a train wreck, a total loss of a day—chaos, even!
But if you study it out, on the backside of each of those interruptions Jesus encountered was significant impact by the Spirit of God, and all because Jesus made Himself available—to His Father, to the Holy Spirit and to the people around Him.
If you’re looking for more of God’s power to manifest in and through your life—to where you’re experiencing and effecting significant impact in the lives of people around you—consider making these 4 Notes to Self for the next time your day is interrupted.
Note to Self No. 1: Welcome Interruptions
“As Jesus went with [Jairus], he was surrounded by the crowds. A woman in the crowd had suffered for twelve years with constant bleeding, and she could find no cure. Coming upbehind Jesus, she touched the fringe of his robe. Immediately, the bleeding stopped. ‘Who touched me?’ Jesus asked.
“When the woman realized that she could not stay hidden, she began to tremble and fell to her knees in front of him. The whole crowd heard herexplain why she had touched him and that she had been immediately healed. ‘Daughter,’ he said to her, ‘your faith has made you well. Go in peace.’
“While he was still speaking to her, a messenger arrived from the home of Jairus, the leader of the synagogue. He told him, ‘Your daughter is dead. There’s no use troubling the Teacher now.’” –(Luke 8:42-45, 47-49)
Ticktock, lady!
Who would blame a desperate dad like Jairus for thinking something like that (if he did)?
Timing was everything—it was life or death, after all—and Jairus probably felt like he and Jesus were making good time, considering all the crowds.
Then, this happened! And no one saw it coming. Apparently, not even Jesus.
But notice how Jesus handled the interruption:
As soon as the messenger delivered the news about the girl, Jesus told Jairus, “Don’t yield to fear…keep on believing” (Mark 5:36, TPT).
Fear of what?
We’re too late! If it hadn’t been for this interruption! It’s no use now!
How many times has your head exploded with those kinds of thoughts in the middle of an unexpected change of plans?
Jairus could have blamed the woman for his daughter’s death because she interrupted them and slowed things down. But he didn’t. He stayed in faith—and it’s obvious he did, based on Jesus’ instructions to him. Otherwise, his daughter wouldn’t have lived. He wouldn’t have received his miracle.
Understand, breakthrough can happen in the interruptions of life. So, don’t curse your interruptions. Welcome them!
That’s how Jesus lived His life. That’s how He perceived and responded to interruptions at any given moment on any given day—and it resulted in Holy Spirit power.
Note to Self No. 2: Do a Reality Check
“When the truth-giving Spirit comes, he will unveil every truth [reality] within you. He won’t speak on his own, but only what he hears from the Father, and he will reveal prophetically to you what is to come.” –(John 16:13, TPT)
Brother Copeland read this passage for years, and it never really meant much to him, until one day the reality of it exploded on the inside of him:
You mean the Holy Spirit gives me access to everything God knows—and He’s willing to reveal it to me?
That changed everything!
When we get caught up in the busyness of life—and under its pressures—it can be a challenge to think straight and really see matters for what they truly are…what’s fact or fiction, reality or deception.
That’s when we need insight: What’s happening, here? What’s really going on?
The very first semester Brother Copeland started attending Oral Roberts University, he was hired as a pilot for the ministry to fly Oral Roberts and assist in meetings.
One day after a flight back to campus, he was riding in an elevator with Oral Roberts and Billy Graham, who were to be speakers at ORU’s graduation ceremony. On the ride up to the administrative offices, Brother Copeland smiled a big smile and thought to himself…
This is it—I’m going to graduate in four years, continue to work for Brother Roberts and be part of this ministry in Tulsa!
It wasn’t long afterward that God interrupted Brother Copeland’s plans and said, No, I’m ready for you now.
Again, that changed everything!
God’s Spirit is charged with getting over to us the truth of every matter, as well as any information we need to know of what lies ahead. Our responsibility—like Jesus’ and Jairus’—is to flex and go with the interruption, which will get us to where we really need to be so we can release faith and His power.
Note to Self No. 3: Be on the Lookout for God
“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem…. How often I have wanted to gather your children together as a hen protects her chicks beneath her wings, but you wouldn’t let me…. But now it is too late…. Before long your enemies will…. crush you into the ground…. because you did not recognize it when God visited you [the time of your visitation].” –(Matthew 23:37-39; Luke 19:42-44)
As Jesus entered Jerusalem for the last time (before going to the cross), He began to weep and cry out. He was grieved because the “chosen people of God” missed their visitation from God. The Son of God had been among them for more than 30 years, most never knew it, and few embraced it.
For nearly 2,000 years, Jews had been waiting, watching, praying for Messiah. Yet, in all their looking and longing, they missed Him.
People are still missing Jesus today.
Jesus says, “Behold, I’m standing at the door, knocking. If your heart is open to hear my voice and you open the door, I will come in to you and feast with you, and you will feast with me” (Revelation 3:20, TPT).
How is it possible to hear Jesus’ voice?
“The one whose heart is open,” He goes on to explain, “let him listen carefully to what the Spirit is saying…” (verse 22, TPT).
Kenneth Copeland and Pastor Greg Stephens, professor at Kenneth Copeland Bible College®, agree that “the day of your visitation” Jesus referred to in Luke 19 refers to the Holy Spirit—or, as Brother Kenneth Hagin used to say, “God in the now!”
When you learn to listen to and flow with God’s Spirit, He will lead and direct you into ALL truth. And the truth is—every day can be “your day of visitation” if you’re on the lookout for God, willing to allow Him into your day—and even interrupt it if necessary.
Note to Self No. 4: Get in Jesus’ Head—and Stay There
“When I first came to you, dear brothers and sisters, I didn’t use lofty words and impressive wisdom to tell you God’s secret plan…. I relied only on the power of the Holy Spirit. I did this so you would trust not in human wisdom but in the power of God…. For his Spirit searches out everything and shows us God’s deep secrets.” –(1 Corinthians 2:1, 4-5, 10)
The power of the Holy Spirit—not the wisdom of man—is what reveals the mysteries of God to us. Those mysteries are knowledge and information that only God’s Spirit knows and only He can reveal.
Again, as we become more experienced in listening to the Holy Spirit and going through life with Him as Jesus did, we get to the place where, as the Apostle Paul describes…
“Those who live in the Spirit are able to carefully evaluate all things…. and we possess Christ’s perceptions [we have the mind of Christ]” (1 Corinthians 2:15-16, TPT).
That’s why—even after having flown aircraft for more than half a century—every time Brother Copeland gets in the cockpit of a plane, he prays…
“In the Name of Jesus, I exercise the mind of Christ to fly because You gave it to me, and called me to do it. So, I will not forget anything. I will not do anything unsafe. YOU trained me. YOU taught me. Now, I plead the blood of Jesus over this aircraft. I bind every evil spirit away from this aircraft, and declare every evil plan of the enemy is thwarted. Ministering angels, lift us up in your hands according to Psalm 91.”
To that, Brother Copeland would also say:
“As I diligently study, train and prepare for whatever it is God would have me do to fly, His power comes on me, and I get into the place of listening to God and responding to His every directive.”
Certainly, there are interruptions we can, and should, avoid in life. But there are those times when you look and look and look…and you just can’t seem to find your car keys!
“The Holy One has anointed you and you know all things” (1 John 2:20, NKJV).
This is why it’s important to pray over everything and seek, search out the mind of Christ in every situation. It’s yours. You have 24/7 access. Use it to get into that place of “listening to God and responding.”
While you’re at it, do what the Apostle John goes on to say…
“The wonderful anointing you have received from God…. remain in [it]” (1 John 2:27, TPT).
These simple 4 Notes to Self are what helped keep Jesus on track and in step with His Father—allowing the presence and power of the Holy Spirit to flow freely—throughout His day. Day after day, they helped Him navigate ALL those interruptions. They turned the potential for aggravation into the possibility of a miracle.
They will do the same for you!
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