Routines are good. Knowing what to expect can help us get in and get right to work doing what we are expected to do. Our parents taught us routines. It’s how we work and it’s how we teach our kids to get things done as well.

So what happens when we face change in our routine? It could be a flat tire or an unexpected meeting thrown into the mix of our schedule. Maybe its a field trip with your child and his or her class. Or maybe its a surprise visit from a friend! Regardless of what ‘it’ is – it causes us to snap out of autopilot mode and pay attention to what’s going on around us. These are pattern disrupters and they can all serve a purpose.

Even something as simple as running out of milk in the morning can be a pattern disrupter when it creates an opportunity for us to stop at a convenience store on the way home rather than drive straight home. Perhaps there was someone in the store that God wants you to connect with and you have the chance to speak life into them.

Proverbs 16:9 tells us, “We can make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps.” Routines are definitely good for us. But we must hold our plans loosely and stay open to what God has in store for us. His ways are always full of purpose!