Living an Interruptible Life
Have you ever found yourself caught in a competition of who’s the busiest, the most stressed, or most overwhelmed?
Our culture often glorifies busyness. It’s worn as a badge of honor and seems to symbolize importance, productivity, and worth. But when we look at Jesus’ life, we see that he lived differently.
Jesus was undoubtedly “busy”—crowds followed him, people constantly sought after him, and he packed a lifetime of ministry into just three years. Yet he never allowed busyness to control his pace or pull him away from people. Instead, he lived an interruptible life, grounded in purpose, yet open to the needs in front of him.
One of my favorite examples of this is in Mark 5. A synagogue leader named Jairus pleads with Jesus to come quickly to heal his dying daughter. Jesus agrees and begins to follow him. On the way, a woman who had been bleeding for twelve years reaches out and touches Jesus’ cloak. She’s instantly healed. In that moment, Jesus could have kept going. But he decides to stop. He sees the woman, acknowledges her, speaks with her, and blesses her.
Two miracles happened that day—Jesus would heal Jairus’ daughter and a woman who was sick for years would be healed not just physically but also spiritually.
So, how can we follow Jesus’ example even in the busyness of life when people are pulling us in different directions?
Jesus was present instead of pressured.
Jairus was in a hurry. He desperately needed Jesus’ help. And he wasn’t the only one who needed Jesus. Crowds of people followed Jesus to be healed. Yet, even with all of the urgent needs around him, Jesus didn’t live a hurried life. In every moment and every interaction, Jesus noticed people, stopped, and listened to them.
How often do we feel like we don’t have time to stop and see the people God has placed in our everyday lives? Maybe it’s the cashier at the grocery store or someone on the side of the road. No matter what was going on, Jesus always made time to stop and listen. Imagine what God could do through us if we committed to doing the same thing.
Jesus didn't confuse his purpose with his pace.
Today, we often tie our worth to our productivity and how busy we are. Jesus didn’t do this. He knew his identity came from God, not from his work. That doesn’t mean that Jesus didn’t work hard, passionately, or urgently.
Jesus had a mission—and he stayed focused on it. But he never let the urgency of the world dictate the speed of his life. He moved intentionally, not frantically. In a society where faster often feels better, Jesus’ way of life invites us to slow down and ask: “Is my pace aligned with God’s purpose for me?” Sometimes God’s most important work happens when we’re willing to pause.
Even in a busy world, Jesus invites us to live a life like his—one of grace, availability, and unhurried love.
What would it look like to live an unhurried life like Jesus? Kali Gibson is the editor-in-chief for So We Speak and a copywriter for the Youversion Bible App.
