Recently, I found myself once again Breathing in the Unexpected as I’m facing another pause.

Things were progressing toward my second lung transplant, and then, without warning, God pressed pause. I knew in my spirit that this wasn’t a coincidence—it was one of His pauses.

It’s not the first time life has come to a halt just when I thought we were getting close to the solution. It’s not the first time I’ve heard God say, “Not yet,” while my heart was already racing ahead. And it’s definitely not the first time I’ve had to loosen my grip on my timeline.

But even after all these years—decades of walking with Jesus, learning to trust Him through detours, diagnoses, and days I didn’t think I’d make it through—I still feel the sting when God presses pause.

Holy Interruptions with Purpose

A God pause isn’t just life being messy or plans getting shuffled. This is when God Himself steps in and gently stops something before it moves forward. Not because He’s cruel or withholding, but because He knows what I can’t see.

I’ve experienced enough of these holy interruptions to understand they’re not empty. I might not always appreciate them, but I don’t dislike them as much as I once did. They’re not delays just for delay’s sake—they’re invitations. Sometimes an invitation to rest. Sometimes to surrender. Sometimes simply to be still long enough for Him to shift something deep inside me.

Looking Back to See His Faithfulness

As I reflect on this pause and the two-year anniversary of releasing my book, Breathing in the Unexpected, I’m reminded of the truth that carries me: God’s faithfulness remains unchanged, even when life shifts. The book was born out of a season of an unexpected pause, which proved that God uses the unplanned to shape us in ways we never imagined.

This recent pause took me by surprise. I believed the process was moving ahead. I had emotionally prepared for the next step. But God stopped it—for now. Honestly, it’s been very difficult to accept. Yet, even in uncertainty, I’ve learned to look for Him in the pause. Because He is there. He’s always there.

It’s easy to think nothing is happening during the pause, but heaven is never idle. God works in the waiting, and He also works in the stillness. He teaches in the silence. He refines during the stop.

Sometimes the pause is for our protection. Sometimes it’s for our preparation. Sometimes it’s simply because He loves us too much to let us run ahead of Him.

Your Pause Has a Purpose

I don’t know what kind of pause you might be facing right now. Maybe it’s a door you thought would open that suddenly slammed shut. Maybe it’s a relationship that has gone quiet, or a plan that didn’t work out. Maybe it’s something you’ve prayed for with your whole heart, only to hear, “Not yet.”

Whatever it is, can I encourage you with this? A God pause always has a purpose, even if we can’t see it right away.

After 41 years of following Him, I still need that reminder. Maybe you do too.

“But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” — Isaiah 40:31

If you haven’t yet experienced the hope found in Breathing in the Unexpected, I’d love to invite you to take a look.
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