My husband bought a 500-piece puzzle to work on. It wasn't something I intended to join him in; the last time I did any sort of puzzle was in elementary school, I think. It’s not my go-to form of relaxation. But while home alone, attempting to avoid watching another episode (that I've already watched) of Superstore on Netflix, I decided to continue where he’d left off.
With my gospel music playing in the background, I began and completed more than I'd expected to. However, as I continued working on it today, I found myself asking why certain aspects of my life feel like these remaining, scattered, puzzle pieces. Yes, there is a whole tapestry unfolding that I can't even fathom; certain areas have materialized, yet the rest don't seem to connect. I’m steadfastly attempting to fill in one area, but I’m convinced the piece is missing. I can’t make sense of it amidst the countless pieces remaining.
Perhaps I’m thinking about it the wrong way, but I'm not sure. When I was working on the puzzle, I noticed that I'd joined two pieces that didn't fit together. After seeing how seamlessly other pieces connected, I realized I did force the two a little bit. At the time it seemed correct, and looked correct. This had me thinking if perhaps I'd done the same in some parts of my life, and now I had to undo it and figure out what fit perfectly. It put me in a slight panic, however, one scripture came to mind: "The just shall live by faith." I think that if I weren't striving to live by faith, I wouldn't be where I am now. And where is that? A place where I'm still trusting God, sometimes with boldness, other times with apprehension.
What puts me at ease while looking at this unfinished puzzle is the realization that it’s not the puzzle pieces themselves that have to figure out where they fit. Someone has to put them together. Trusting God—where He is placing or has placed you to complete a big picture you aren't fully privy to—is an "extreme sport." I could choose to place myself where, by my own will, I feel most comfortable; but living the life God wants for me is the path I've chosen. The messy, unsavory parts aren't always explainable to oneself or to others. When the pieces of our lives are not neat and don't follow the expected route, we are caught between trusting God or following a life formula that doesn't acknowledge His sovereignty or require the faith that has you ready to walk away.
Believers, we’ve been given all things that pertain to life and godliness. Everything we need has been given to us. It may feel daunting because we are conscious of everything and God simultaneously. You're concerned about this or that person or people, plus your own expectations cultivated over time. It becomes difficult to trust God when you are attempting to meet the expectations of well-meaning loved ones. It is also challenging to let go of your own expectations built up over years. Of course, what God has for your life is better—I wholeheartedly believe that—but some things remain bittersweet. Hence why, looking at the scattered pieces of the puzzle, I became contemplative.
What is the takeaway? There is an order to things, and we strive for it so that life doesn’t seem meaningless or random. But there is also God’s sovereignty woven into it. We are assured that, for those of us who love the Lord, all things will work together for our good. God orders our steps: "The steps of the righteous are ordered by the Lord." We go through unpleasant places and seasons, but He will bring us to that good and expected end. He puts the pieces of our lives where they belong if we trust Him. In fact, He will help us do that, and our latter end will be greater than our former.
