The Puzzle [Day 17]
By Rachael Jennings
And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:28 NKJV)
For the last couple New Years, a few friends and I have rented out an Airbnb and spent a couple days eating incredible food, reflecting on the year past, and resting into the New Year. One of the many things we love to do is complete a puzzle together. It’s really a group effort that takes a lot of patience and persistence from all of us.
Our strategy is to first separate out all of the edge pieces and take those to form the border of the puzzle. From there we separate into main colors, ending with each of us taking a section of the puzzle and working until we complete the beautiful big picture, all the while using the box lid as a reference.
Sometimes life isn’t always fair, but God is fair.
God is working every piece of your life—your job status, your struggles, the bad news you received, the joyful moments, the hardships, the diagnosis, the sweet encouragement from a friend, the blessing you just received, the moment you felt overlooked, etc.—together for His purpose. Let that word together be the key word here.
It’s important for us as Christians not to isolate one situation or circumstance in our lives to say, “My life is horrible,” but to understand what you are going through today is one piece of the puzzle.
God sees and holds the bigger picture; He sees how all things will work together. When you don’t understand, don’t let yourself be stuck there. Know there is another piece God is going to bring into your life to make everything work together for your good. It may be in the form of a new opportunity, a job offer, a phone call. Be open and watch for God’s pieces in your life.
As all the pieces of your life fall together, know God is at work. Bad news, isolation, our world on hold all seem like setbacks. But trust that God is setting you up for something better. Your life's puzzle will be a masterpiece of Him working all things together for good!
Prayer
Father, You know what I am going through right now. It’s a mystery to me how all the pieces of my life will work together. BUT You know, and in this mystery I trust You. Thank You for seeing the whole picture and the incredible plans You have for me. Help me to trust You in the process. In Jesus’ name, amen.
