When My Puzzle Pieces Do Not Fit

 

 

Putting a puzzle together can be fun, enjoyable and somewhat a relaxing time when the pieces all fit correctly the first time.  However when it is a puzzle with thousands of little pieces that require a great deal of time trying to figure out what piece goes where it can become frustrating, at least for me. Many times I have had to rely on the box top picture to navigate me through the placing of each piece and even that process can be irritating. Eventually the pieces do all fit exactly the way they were created to fit and the perfect picture is formed.It is a victory of sorts for me as patience is not my best quality.

 But what about when our life's pieces are not fitting together?

I had this certain picture I created in my mind, a picture how my own pieces were to fit together, my perfect box top per say. However the pieces I chose I could not force them to fit. No matter how I placed them, pushed them together, they still would not connect. My box top picture was not the pretty picture I created in my mind instead it was a scattered mess; a hot shamble of a mess. I had convinced myself the pieces I had chosen were the right fit, pieces I had crafted I so desperately wanted to connect and yet they did not.

And then begins my bantering conversation with God...... Yes I still have my moments when I do my best to convince the Lord my chosen pieces are part of His grand scheme.

"Look Lord, look how perfect this is for me! Can you see how amazing it would be should this particular piece connect?"  "Ummmm hello God, did you not hear what I said?"  " Why Lord, why will you not allow it?"  "Watch Lord, I will show you how perfect it will be."

And my struggle to make it fit becomes a personal challenge  to prove how wonderful my pieces actually are. 

Waste.Of.Time.

God's word tells us a man's heart plans but He ordains our steps.

Proverbs 16:9
A man's heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.

 The reality....... our puzzle was already put together before we ever took our first breath. He has already chose every piece, shape, color and ordained the placement of each one. The mess, my mess, surfaces when I attempt to remove His pieces for my own. Every God ordained piece has a purpose, a purpose He lovingly wants  to connect.  He will exchange our pieces for His if we will surrender to His perfect will.

Read that again.............

He will exchange our pieces for His if we will surrender to His perfect will.

My biggest challenge becomes when I do not see God's direction and I step ahead of Him. I have made many messes in doing so; messes a thousand years could not fix. But God! He never leaves me as I am.   I was reminded when God told Abraham to pack up and go. No directions, no mapped out plan, no list of instructions, just go.  So here I sit looking at my puzzle of life wondering where and when the next piece will be connected; when will He instruct me to go and where will that be.  In all my wonder, I am learning it is my trust in Him my life's ordained purpose will connect in beauty and awe.

Whatever your own box top is looking like today, know it is not a finished picture. Put down your own pieces; pieces you believe to be the perfect fit.  Let God connect your pieces......

I am.

Forever His Daughter,

Stacey