When God Ruins Your Plans: Why the "Christmas Interruption" is the Best Thing That Can Happen to You

When God Ruins Your Plans: Why the "Christmas Interruption" is the Best Thing That Can Happen to You 

Category: Faith / Life / Christmas                                                       Read Time: 6 Minutes  

Introduction: The Obsession with "The Plan"

I want you to be honest for a moment. How much do you love your plans?

If you are like me, you probably rely on a calendar. We map out our lives.

We create plans for our careers, finances, when to marry, when to buy a house, and where to go on vacation.

We cherish our plans because they make us feel safe and in control.

But let me ask you something that might be tough to hear: What happens when the plan falls apart?

What do you do when you receive an unexpected medical report? When the company downsizes and you lose your job? When a relationship comes to an end?

We often label these moments as "disasters." We get angry and question God, asking, "Why are you letting this happen to me?"

However, if we look at the Bible—specifically the story of the very first Christmas—we see a powerful truth. God often does His best work when our plans fall apart.

Today, I want to discuss **The Divine Interruption. **

The Myth of the "Silent Night"

We have a very polished view of Christmas. We sing songs like "Silent Night" and "Sleep in Heavenly Peace." Christmas cards show a peaceful Mary, a composed Joseph, and a radiant baby in a tidy stable.

But if we read the accounts in Matthew and Luke, the first Christmas was anything but peaceful. It was chaotic, stressful, and a logistical nightmare.

It was, in every sense, an interruption.

Consider the people involved. No one in the Christmas story was experiencing a

"good day" when God intervened.

**The Shepherds** were working, tired and cold, when the sky lit up with angels. Interrupted.  

**The Wise Men** were scholars who had to leave their comfortable studies to travel hundreds of miles through dangerous deserts. Interrupted.  

**Mary** was a teenager planning a wedding when an angel told her she would become a mother before becoming a wife. Interrupted.

But the biggest interruption of all was faced by a man named Joseph.

Joseph's "Ruined" Life

I admire Joseph because he is easy to relate to. Matthew 1:19 describes him as a *"righteous man."* This means he was a good person who followed the rules. He likely paid his taxes on time and attended synagogue regularly.

Joseph had a plan. It was simple and respectable:

1. Marry Mary.  

2. Build a carpentry business.  

3. Raise a family in Nazareth.  

4. Grow old and happy.

Then, God interrupted.

Mary is pregnant. The baby isn’t his. Suddenly, Joseph’s reputation

is on the line. In that culture, this was scandalous. His plan for a quiet life was shattered. He was likely heartbroken, confused, and scared.

Just when things seemed bleak, the government intervened! A decree from Caesar Augustus forced them to travel 90 miles to Bethlehem for a census.

Imagine the stress. His fiancée is nine months pregnant. They have to walk or ride a donkey for days over rough terrain. When they finally arrive, exhausted and desperate, there is no room for them.

If you were Joseph in that moment, standing outside an inn with no vacancy and a pregnant wife, wouldn't you look up and think, *"God, I thought you were with me! Why is everything going wrong?"*

The "Disaster" Was a Delivery System

Here’s the twist. Here’s the game-changer.

We look at Joseph's situation and see a string of unfortunate events.

* **We see a scandal;** God saw a Savior.  

* **We see a closed door at the Inn;** God saw the humble Manger.  

* **We see a ruined schedule; ** God saw the redemption of the world.

Joseph thought his life was falling apart, but in reality, it was falling into place.

If Joseph had stuck to his plan, he would have lived a nice, quiet life in Nazareth that no one would remember. But by accepting **God's Interruption**, he became the earthly father of the King of Kings.

The interruption was not a punishment. It was a promotion.

God is the God of the Interruption

We must understand that God rarely makes appointments. He doesn’t check your Google Calendar to see if you have free time between 2:00 PM and 4:00 PM to experience a miracle.

God breaks in.

He interrupted Moses's life while he was tending sheep (Burning Bush).  

He interrupted David's life while he was watching his flock.  

He interrupted Paul's life while he was on the road to Damascus.

Why does God work this way? **Because when we are comfortable, we don’t need Him.** When our plans are going perfectly, we tend to trust in our plans instead of Him. But when interruptions happen and our plans fall apart, we are forced to look up. We are compelled to trust.

Are You Facing an Interruption This Christmas?

Maybe you are reading this and don’t feel "Merry."

Perhaps your Christmas plan was to be married by now, but you are still single.  

Maybe you planned to have a healthy body, but you are fighting an illness.  

Or maybe your goal was financial stability, but you are struggling to buy gifts.

You feel like Joseph. You feel like the door has been slammed in your face.

I want to encourage you with this thought: **Don’t look for the exit. Look for the baby.**

Don’t waste your energy trying to "fix" the interruption or return to your old plan. Instead, ask God: *"Lord, you have interrupted my life. What are you trying to bring to life in me right now?"*

* Maybe this illness is interrupting your busy life to teach you to rest in Him.  

* Maybe this job loss is interrupting your comfort to push you toward a new purpose.  

* Maybe this loneliness is interrupting your distractions to draw you closer to His presence.

Conclusion: Embrace the Chaos

This Christmas, if things feel messy, don’t panic. You are in good company. The first Christmas was messy too.

God is not afraid of your chaos. He is not intimidated by your broken plans. In fact, that is where He loves to work the most.

So, let go of the life you *thought* you would have, and open your hands to the life God is offering you now. It may not match your original plan, but I promise you, His plan is better.

The interruption isn't the end of your story. It's the beginning of a miracle.

**Merry Christmas.**

*A Question for You:*

Has God ever "ruined" your plans, only for it to turn out better than you expected? Share your story in the comments below!