In a world centered around conveniences, dare we allow ourselves to be inconvenienced?

Before this season of quarantine, it was difficult enough to have our routines, schedules, agendas, goals, timelines, relationships, work, and hobbies interrupted, but now, how’s it going? It’s been forced upon us – but I find I still struggle with seeing the divine gift of interruptions.

Could it be that the things we see as inconveniences in our lives can actually be the distribution centers of our patience, our time, our gentleness, our kindness, and our long sufferings?

For what inconveniences us can actually serve to nourish others rather than solely focusing on our own comforts. Through interruptions, we are given the opportunity to comfort others.

As a result of this, we too are nourished as we are forced to slow down, recognize another, and then proceed to meet whatever need is before us.

Of course, we can still choose to be frustrated, stressed, and irritated by the inconvenience, or we can stop and recognize it as the invitation it is – to nourish and be nourished.

Those with the gift of hospitality can understand this, for they disrupt their kitchens, dishes and homes in order to share meals with others – and welcome it.

Those of us who might lack this gift of course can merely see it as a stressful event.

Yet, though we may not actively pursue hosting dinner parties, life has a way of catapulting us into venues that cause us to inconvenience ourselves for the sake of others. It’s how we choose to receive and respond to these events that’s so powerful.

May we be so wise to rid ourselves of the personal comforts and conquests we so desire that only serve to quench the fleeting opportunities to express care that seemingly come our way through the inconvenient moments of life.