Puzzling over puzzles

 

I hate jigsaw puzzles. I have no patience for them. Opening a puzzle box and seeing a 1000 or more pieces of jagged edge images unnerves me. Even though I can look at the photo on the box of what the completed puzzle is supposed to look like, I don't like seeing the loose pieces.My husband, on the other hand, loves them. He can sit for hours at a time working on finding just the right place for a specific piece. He tries to get me to join him in working puzzles, but I can't. I get frustrated too easily and after a few attempts at slipping a piece into place only to have it not fit drives me crazy. So much so that I want to dump the whole board and send the pieces flying. 

 

I bet you were shocked to read that, weren't you? You thought I was the most patient person in the world, didn't you? Normally, I am, but with puzzles, it's a different story. I want to see the finished piece, not the puzzle in tiny increments. 

 

And that's also true with my life. I like knowing the big picture. I like the certainty of the finished product. I have control issues, I'll admit that. And that's where God's working on me. 

 

This year has already started out with a bunch of messed up puzzle pieces. Some quick decisions have led to some regrets making me feel like a slipped a puzzle piece into the wrong space and have tried to force it to fit. 

 

As I prayed about it this morning, I dumped all my "puzzle pieces" into God's lap. I told him I knew we'd made some unwise decisions that had provided unexpected outcomes. And while I beat myself up over the shoulda, coulda, wouldas, God, in His Sovereignty, sat back quietly and listened. Then, I felt Him speak to my spirit, I work ALL things together for your good. 

 

All things... the screw ups, the quick decisions made without thinking and weighing consequences first, ALL things. 

 

After crying a big ugly cry, I felt Him cuddle me close and reaffirm it was going to be okay.And I know it will be. 

 

He's already moved some big puzzle pieces into place by putting some very godly people into my life. These people have already begun to allow God to use them to minister His love to me. God is and has been moving specific puzzle pieces of my life into place for a very long time. As I learn to trust Him completely in the process, that puzzle, my life's story, is going to wind up being a beautiful picture!

 

It's not easy to walk by faith instead of walking by sight, especially for a visual learner like me, and I think God knows that - He created me, after all! 

 

I hope my honesty has given you some food for thought. 

 

If you're dealing with your own frustrations over the future or even current life events, remember, God is the Great Puzzle Master. He has a good and perfect plan for your life. He will move the puzzle pieces into place at just the right time and they'll always fit perfectly. There will be no forcing!

 

God gives us free will. We can either choose to allow Him to be in control of our "picture" or we can try to put it together ourselves. If we try to slip the pieces together on our own, it may take a lot of time and effort to get them into place and even when we do, we're sure to make a few mistakes along the way. 

 

Perhaps you love puzzles and have no issues sitting for hours working on them like my husband does. Kudos to you! But remember, cardboard puzzle pieces are vastly different from the people, places, and events that make up the puzzle of our lives. Trust God to guide those into place. Every single day and save yourself some trouble.