We often leave a puzzle sitting out on a table at our house. It’s fun being able to take a break now and then, stopping to fill in a few more pieces of the picture.
My favorite puzzles are from paintings that include scenes with people milling about doing various tasks. Most of them are from an earlier era in American history and a number of them remind me of New England. I enjoy seeing the pictures come together over time.
Two things are true of brand new puzzles. 1.) When you open the box for the first time, all of the pieces are included. The manufacturers don’t include extra pieces, leave some out, or try to trick you with duplicates. 2.) All of the pieces will create the picture on that particular box’s lid, not a different picture. I never have to wonder what the picture will look like when I’m done. The challenge is simply in locating the right pieces to fit together.
We usually begin by forming the border. It’s easy to distinguish those pieces because one side is always flat. So we separate them out at the start and create the outline. This gives a framework as we go along. I know from that point on that every other piece belongs within those boundaries. Everything is going to fit, with no blank spots. All that’s required of me is time, keen observation, and patience.
Often we get to an area that’s particularly challenging. Great swaths of sky, clumps of trees, or fields of grass require more trial and error than other areas. When the pieces look pretty much the same we just swap them out one by one until we find what fits. But that seems more tedious than putting together a group of buildings or people. And at times I’m ready to give up!
Sometimes in life we feel like giving up as well. When we’re not getting a clear picture of what to do next, not understanding how seemingly unrelated events fit together, or feeling like every day is starting to look the same, life can be frustrating.
But our life in Christ is like a brand new puzzle. God has given us all of the pieces we need to complete the picture He designed us to create. Or as Peter puts it in 2 Peter 1:3 (ISV), His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness . . .
Whatever we need to fit together this puzzle called Life, He’s already prepared and provided ahead of time. If we lack wisdom, all we have to do is ask (James 1:5). When we need comfort, He’s given us the Comforter, who is the Holy Spirit (John 14:26). When we need peace to relieve our confusion, He supplies it (Philippians 4:6-8). And when we feel lost, Proverbs 3:5-6 instructs us how to find our way.
We simply need to spend time in prayer and keep our spiritual eyes open for clues. As we exercise patience, God’s plan unfolds, making beautiful pictures of our lives.
What a lovely analogy, Carrie – thank you! You always make me think outside my mental “box” and I’m so grateful for your insights!