His puzzle of faithfulness
I was lucky enough to spend a couple weeks with my grandparents recently, leading up to the New Year. One of the activities that we often take up to pass some time in the evenings is putting together different jigsaw puzzles. It was in the middle of putting one of the trickiest ones I have ever faced that I had a thought...
Imagine you’re attempting to put together a 1,000 piece puzzle. While many shapes look alike, many simultaneously also look quite unique; where the colors and patterns on those pieces might not make sense when you’re looking at those individual pieces by themselves. You might think that two pieces belong together when you try to force them to, but the patterns don’t match up, so you take them apart and re-evaluate. You might try to connect another similar combination of pieces, but to again, recognize that those pieces belong elsewhere.
Finally, after what seems like some very extensive searching and sorting, and even some frustration along the way, two pieces are a match!!! There is no other way or piece that would have fit as perfectly as the piece specifically designed to. Eventually, after an extensive amount of time, you have clumps of pieces that fit perfectly into one another, an image is forming and you might have a sense of what the scene is, but you might still run into the problem of several pieces looking like they might make a match, but they fail to live up to your expectations.
At the end of it all, each piece is in its pre-determined spot created by the puzzle maker, the lines and colors flow perfectly from piece to piece and it’s undeniable the image that was destined from the very beginning is complete. Although sometimes, unfortunately, some puzzles do have a piece or two missing.
You see, the puzzle you imagined you were putting together is much like the puzzle of our lives. Every day you’re faced with decisions, situations, conversations, desires, (you name it)- big or small- that can ultimately have a big impact on your life. Sometimes, you might think that you have it all planned out, but after trying to put those pieces together, you realize they don’t quite work together in the way you wanted them to; sometimes you may even get it right on the first time too! Sure it’s possible that those pieces belong in your life, but maybe at a different time or place; God had a different plan in mind for how your life was going to go down. In John 13:7, Jesus reminds us that we have a hard time recognizing the whole picture while we're in the midst of it. So you might try again until something clicks and you realize that the best thing for your life eventually came together, but not without a bit of frustration and even some waiting in the process…or maybe asking someone else for their help and a fresh set of eyes.
As life goes on, you might look back and recognize those pieces that God put together for you, you might have somewhat of an image in your head as to what the plan is for your life and what he has already done, but there is still some room for growth as well as trial and error. Trust that those pieces all somehow belong to one another to create a beautiful image. Trust that as one piece might not fit to the other you swore was its match, everything happens for a reason. God designed our stories before we were ever created; He knows exactly where every piece of our lives belongs, even when we might think otherwise. Our God is a faithful God who is present at every stage.
Like those puzzles that are missing a piece or two, there are people out there who think they were able to put their puzzle together on their own. Sure the image LOOKS complete and you can most often tell what it is, but it doesn’t take away or fill up the gaping hole in the design. This hole is much like the hypothetical one people experience when they don’t have Jesus in their lives. Their life was great, but it could have been even more complete.
So, if you’re unsure as to what the next move is for your life- you’re confused, frustrated or even hesitant of what’s going on- I want to encourage you to trust in His faithfulness and His plan for your life. Seek His kingdom first (Matthew 6:33) in your everyday choices, because He is so beyond capable of making and doing something you could have NEVER imagined.