Learning to welcome the interruptions by Claire Musters

I don’t know if you are like me but, increasingly, I find it takes me quite a long time to get into the groove of my writing; to really settle down and be productive. Quite often I am just beginning to grasp what it is that I want to say in my writing as lunchtime looms  – so my lunchtime has been getting later and later. After that break, I then have to get myself back into the flow; often I’m just getting back into it when it’s time to stop and pick our son up from school. Whether I have the opportunity to write more that day really depends on what my kids have on after school.

This week I had another interruption: I had really struggled to make headway with a devotional I am writing, but had begun to put thoughts down. I was really wrestling, as the subject matter is quite difficult, but I felt I was finally progressing… and then the phone rang. I looked at the number and recognised my parents’ so I picked up. What followed was an exceedingly emotional ‘conversation’ with my mum, who is now so ill she can’t talk much. I have to do most of the chatting when we speak, because of her lack of breath. But I was finding it so difficult to switch off from all the thoughts swirling around my head about my writing, so I ran out of ideas of what to say to her pretty quickly. There were quite a lot of silences and then, eventually, my mum whispered: ‘I think I’m just going to go now.’

As soon as I put the phone down I felt overwhelmed with a sense of loss, and of letting her down too. I needed to explain to her that it is hard for me to switch off when the ideas are beginning to come – that’s why she normally waits for me to ring her, which I try to do regularly in my lunch hour. But I texted her to apologise, because she rang for a very particular reason (another thing that had fuelled my lack of words, because I didn’t really know how to respond). I went on to reassure her that I was praying while I carried on working (which I did).

This all made me ponder how we respond to what are seemingly sometimes frustrating interruptions when we are working. I have sensed God over the last few years asking me to be more open to being interrupted rather than being tied to my desk every moment my kids are at school. On occasion, there have been some wonderful moments when I have been able to help someone or share my faith with them, and God has still helped me meet my writing deadlines.

But the daily interruptions for the school run, and being interrupted by phone calls by my mum, are more everyday occurrences. Am I embracing them as I should be?

I have learned that God does help me juggle my writing work with being as present as possible with my children after school each day. I am so grateful for the gift they are to me, even when part of me is itching to get back to the writing I’ve left unfinished! And I am also so grateful for my mum. Her life is nearing its end, and I definitely don’t want to miss out on the final opportunities I have to engage with her. 

While our writing is incredibly important, I’ve had a fresh reminder this week that we are built for relationship. Yes, I believe God uses my (and our) writing – but I also want to welcome the interruptions when I can sense they are God-given, as he works deeply in our interactions with others too. I trust that he will help me find the inspiration, clarity and time to write each day as I walk with him, and with those I am blessed to have in my life. And I choose to remember that the words I speak are just as important as the words I write...

Claire is a freelance writer, speaker and editor, mum to two gorgeous children, pastor’s wife and worship leader. Her books include Taking off the mask: daring to be the person God created you to be, Cover to Cover: Ezekiel A prophet for all times, Cover to Cover: 1–3 John Walking in the truth, Cover to Cover: David: A man after God's own heart, Insight Into Managing Conflict, Insight Into Self-acceptance and Insight Into Burnout. Her latest edition to the Insight Guides series, An Insight into Shame, was published in May and she is currently writing another Cover to Cover on Exodus, a devotional on disappointment and loss as well as a book on marriage alongside her husband. She also writes Bible study notes and magazine articles. To find out more about her, please visit www.clairemusters.com  and @CMusters on Twitter.