Aug. 11, 2025

What to Do When You’re Interrupted

What to Do When You’re Interrupted
Apple Podcasts podcast player icon Spotify podcast player icon Amazon Music podcast player icon PocketCasts podcast player icon
Apple Podcasts podcast player icon Spotify podcast player icon Amazon Music podcast player icon PocketCasts podcast player icon

When life doesn’t go according to plan, it’s easy to feel like we’ve failed. But today’s story and Scripture remind us—God can use life’s detours to do something better than we imagined.

Have your plans ever completely fallen apart—right when you thought things were coming together?

You’re not alone. We all have moments where the road ahead seems clear—until it suddenly isn’t. An unexpected phone call. A closed door. A failed idea.

And in those moments, frustration creeps in. We wonder if we messed up… or if God stopped showing up.

But what if the interruption isn’t a failure—it’s an invitation?

In today’s episode, we’ll look at how even a “failed” invention became something useful and enduring, and how Proverbs 16:9 shows us the beauty in surrendering our plans to God’s direction.

BY THE TIME YOU FINISH LISTENING, YOU’LL FIND OUT:

  • Why your biggest interruption might lead to your greatest impact
  • What a failed glue experiment can teach us about God’s redirection
  • How to respond when your day—or your life—takes an unexpected turn

God’s purpose doesn’t stop when your plans do.

Share This Episode

https://www.dailydevotionsforbusylives.com/40

Scripture Mentioned in This Episode:

Proverbs 16:9 (NLT) – “We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps.”

Send me a text

Support the show

If this podcast encourages you, consider becoming a monthly supporter—your gift helps me keep sharing God’s Word and bringing these devotions to life each weekday. Become a supporter today.

Connect with Bart

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/dailydevotionsforbusylives

Website: https://www.dailydevotionsforbusylives.com

Feeling spiritually drained? Start here. Download your free copy of my eBook Making Time for Jesus here.

WEBVTT

00:00:01.931 --> 00:00:10.115
Picture this. You're a chemist at 3M in the late 1960s, and the boss says, invent our strongest glue yet.

00:00:12.679 --> 00:00:20.618
Dr. Spencer Silver rolls up his sleeves, mixes a new match, and ends up with the exact opposite.

00:00:15.759 --> 00:00:34.521
A glue so weak, it barely holds its own weight. It sticks, but you can peel it off without a trace. The lab calls it a flop, shoves the formula in a drawer, and moves on. So, what do you do when your big idea won't stick?

00:00:35.213 --> 00:00:37.923
Hang on to that question. We'll be back to it in a minute.

00:00:42.124 --> 00:01:11.269
Welcome to Daily Devotions for Busy Lives, your daily dose of truth and encouragement from God's Word. I'm Bart Leger, and I've been a pastor for over 40 years. Let's take a few moments today to find some hope and perspective, especially when life feels like it's veering off course. Let's look at Proverbs 16.9. We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps.

00:01:12.087 --> 00:01:36.668
You and I both know what it feels like to have a day or a season go sideways. We make the plans. We set the goals. We expect things to go a certain way. It's an opportunity to make the goals, and I've managed to write a day, and I want to make a day, and I want to make a day.

00:01:31.108 --> 00:01:49.168
It's easy to get frustrated and to feel like we've failed or missed something. But what if those interruptions aren't failures at all? What if they're invitations? God isn't just working in the highlight reels.

00:01:49.710 --> 00:01:56.272
He's present in the redirections.

00:01:49.710 --> 00:02:22.723
And the truth of Proverbs 16.9 reminds us, Our steps may feel out of order, but they're still in His hands. Now back to that so-called failed glue. A few years later, another 3M scientist named Art Fry is trying to solve a completely different problem. His paper bookmarks keep falling out of his hymnal between choir rehearsals and Sunday morning.

00:02:17.879 --> 00:03:05.395
He remembers Spencer Silver's weak adhesive, just strong enough to stick but easy to remove. He dabs it on small slips of scrap paper because that's all they had, and the post-it note is born. A mistake became a movement. And their failed plan became a billion-dollar solution. And I believe God does the same with us. The things we thought were wasted might just become the tools that help someone else hold on. When you surrender your plans, He can redeem your interruptions. So here's your challenge today. If your plans go off script, don't panic.

00:03:05.655 --> 00:03:10.826
Don't give up. Instead, ask God, how do you want to use this?

00:03:11.948 --> 00:03:35.355
Father, we don't always understand the detours, but we trust that you're guiding our steps. Help us surrender our need for control and see that you're at work, even in the things we didn't choose. Use every interruption for something good. In Jesus' name, amen.

00:03:28.162 --> 00:03:40.096
Thanks for joining me today on Daily Devotions for Busy Lives.

00:03:35.355 --> 00:03:50.635
Remember, God's purpose often shows up in your detours. Come back next time for more encouragement to help you live grounded in God's truth. Until then, God bless, And have a great day.