Do All These Pieces Belong?

 

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.” Proverbs 3:5

 

A friend of mine received a puzzle where part of the challenge was not knowing what the completed puzzle would be. The box was blank, no picture. Inside the box were clues to help you. Each piece was a struggle to figure out where it belonged because it was such a small part of the whole. Not knowing the final picture made it harder because it lessened the trust. “Are all the pieces here? Where does this go? What is this? Am I doing this right?” All the pieces, unrecognizable on their own, spread out forming a pile of confusion and anxiety for seemingly too daunting a task.

It is human nature to look for patterns and apply them to whatever the circumstance to form a familiar “picture”. We call upon this when we skim a page and realize we have a general understanding of what it says. We use this skill when we hear fireworks and know our dog will try to make a bomb shelter out of found items in the bathroom. Someone is mowing and you turn into a modern-day Paul Revere, “The sneezes are coming! The sneezes are coming!” We are pattern seekers. We know what this means, leads to or is next. This can be useful and detrimental.

We use patterns from our past to determine how we view our future. “This piece goes right here.” When the pieces do not fit together the way our human brains expect, we are thrown off. You have a job. You go to work. You come home. A + B isn’t equaling C right now. These days feel like that puzzle with no picture. We are not sure where the pieces belong.

“as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:18

Change feels threatening to us. “For I the Lord do not change…” Malachi 3:6 Knowing He never changes should give our hearts great comfort. God’s faithfulness to us never changes. Does our faithfulness to Him change because the unfamiliar pieces of each day do not seem to fit together?

You typically choose a puzzle because you like the way it will turn out. You don’t choose it because “I like this one piece”. A piece would be a tiny sliver of the whole picture. You know there will be challenging pieces that you just have to sit down, be still and know the whole picture will come together the way it is supposed to. This doesn’t mean it will turn out the way we expected.  We might never know why things have happened the way they have happened. During these uncertain times we can cling too tightly to what we know instead of tightly clinging to the One who does know.  

Right as the pandemic started the Adult Discipleship series, “Wisdom Literature” was ramping up. You can find the series on the Buck Run YouTube channel. Chris told us to read the Book of Psalms. The words freshly in mind and heart, giving me a peaceful reminder of what is true. I didn’t know then what a comforting piece of the pandemic puzzle this would be. I do not know what the final picture is, just pieces. I want these pieces to be used for His glory.

People are watching Believers during this time more than ever. People are searching for missing pieces in their own lives. I want these days to reflect Him and the trust I have in Him. Are you leading people to Him or away from Him?

 

During this time I encourage you to read from the Book of Psalms.

Read Psalm 18 and bury it in your heart. “The Lord Is My Rock and My Fortress”. Read it every day.

READ Psalm 27 and read it aloud “The Lord Is My Light and My Salvation”

Psalm 33 “The Steadfast Love of the Lord” v. 13-14 “I remain confident of this:    I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.”

Psalm 40 “My Help and My Deliver” when life is hard and you are crying out…v. 1“I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry.”

Psalm 86 “Great Is Your Steadfast Love” v.11 “Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name”

Dig into the Word! Let it be fresh in your mind and heart as you speak with others. Point them to the only One who knows how all these pieces fit together. Use these days for Kingdom purposes. Stay safe and Spread the Gospel!

 

In His Grip,

Jennifer Whittaker