When God Interrupts Your Plans
Pastoral | April 23, 2025 | By: Ryan Heath
On several occasions, I have jokingly shared with my team that one of my favorite responsibilities as a pastor at SBC is changing my out-of-office email response and voicemail as I’m heading out on a vacation break! Yes, of course, there are far more rewarding and meaningful aspects to being a pastor involved in sharing the gospel and helping people grow in their walk with Christ!
The enjoyment of setting these “out of office” reminders speaks to the fact that for any of us who work in positions where there are a lot of needs to care for, taking a break and going on a restful vacation is essential.
In Mark chapter 6, Jesus sent His disciples out in pairs for a season of ministry. During that time, they called people to repentance, cast out demons, and healed many who were sick (Mark 6:7-13). After what must have been a tiring ministry trip, they returned and Jesus said, “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while” (Mark 6:30-31).
Jesus knew that after much work, rest is required. In fact, this is such an important principle to God that He commanded the Israelites to “Remember the Sabbath” (Exodus 20:8-11), a day set apart for the Lord and to rest from their work. Additionally, taking that rest was a reminder that God, who had created the entire universe by the power of His Word, had also rested on the seventh day.
Jesus knew that after much work, rest is required.
So, the disciples went with Jesus by boat to a desolate place. However, when they went ashore, there was a great crowd waiting for them (Mark 6:32-34).
Had I been captain of that boat, my carnal instinct would have been to immediately turn around and find somewhere else to go, or I would have commanded everybody to lie low on the boat and maybe nobody would see us at all! (Note: I can neither confirm nor deny hiding behind aisle walls at a grocery store to avoid running into people I know after a really long and exhausting week.)
Jesus took a different route. Mark tells us that “…He had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. And He began to teach them many things” (Mark 6:34).
Not only that, but as evening approached, instead of turning to His disciples and saying, “Alright, that’s enough of that little detour. Let’s continue on to your well-deserved weekend of rest and relaxation!” Nope—instead He commanded His disciples to figure out a way to feed all the people! (Mark 6:37) This led to the famous miracle when Jesus fed more than 5,000 people with five loaves of bread and two fish (Mark 6:38-44).
Imagine being one of those disciples, exhausted from a season of ministry, invited to go away and find some rest… only to have the Lord call you to even more service, even a seemingly impossible task!
I believe there is much to learn from our Lord in this situation. For one thing, we should all desire to have the heart of Jesus: an inexhaustible reservoir of compassion and grace for people in need. No matter how tired and “deserving” of rest we may feel, pray that when God presents a need in front of us, instead of panic and retreat we would have love and concern.
We should all desire to have the heart of Jesus: an inexhaustible reservoir of compassion and grace for people in need.
We should all desire to live as the Apostle Paul reminded the Corinthian church, “For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And He died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for Him who died for them and was raised again” (2 Cor. 5:14–15). Does the love of Christ compel us to live for Him and not for ourselves? If so, we should be ready and willing to step up and bring the love and service of Christ to the world around us, no matter how tired we might be at the moment.
Secondly, even though we can doubt our ability to meet a particular need (especially when we’re in a weakened and exhausted state), we can trust that if God brought this need before us, He can provide the strength and resources to accomplish what He desires.
It's like the promise that God shared with the Apostle Paul. As Paul was struggling with his unknown “thorn in the flesh,” God told him, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Cor. 12:9). When we have nothing left in the tank and feel like we are running on fumes, Christ’s love and life can still flow through us to serve the needs of those around us. When God steps in to fill the gap and work through our weakness, He gets the full credit and glory for what is accomplished.
I don’t know what kind of season you are walking through at this time, but whether you feel stretched or have some margin in your life, keep your eyes open for the needs around you. Allow God to interrupt your life, and then sit back and be amazed as He works powerfully through you to accomplish amazing things.
Ryan Heath
North Ridge Campus Pastor
Maybe God has already placed a need on your heart that you need to engage with? You can also explore ways to volunteer to help meet needs and build up the Body of Christ here at SBC or in our community.
Like this Article? Share on Social:
Featured Articles
Recent Articles
Similar Articles
