Today I’ll find another piece of the puzzle!

As the stay at home order went in to effect back in March my wife and step daughter were both furloughed from work and I had shoulder surgery.
We were all stuck here at home and decided to begin a puzzle that I’d had for some time. At first it was just a mess of pieces as we spread them out and flipped them over so that we could see them. We began with the border pieces and came to realize as we got the border in place some of the other pieces began to fall in to place. We quickly got many of the easier pieces, the ones that were identifiable for a specific area. Then it began to get harder, we slowed down and became a little frustrated. Today, over a month later the puzzle isn’t done however I take a look at it daily and typically find a piece or two to put in to place.

I’ve come to realize that I don’t have to get frustrated because the whole puzzle is not together. I’m happy with putting a piece or two in place everyday. One day the puzzle will be complete and because I’ve learned to be happy with a couple pieces a day it will be completed without frustration.

As I thought about the puzzle it hit me that this was quite the reflection of my life. The truth is I spent years trying to get the border of my life in place. Many frustrating years trying to figure out the puzzle but without the border. When I let Jesus take charge of my life it was as if the border was complete.

Once the border was done many of the other pieces fell in to place quickly. The easy to find pieces. I had a desire to make positive changes as the pieces were literally falling in to place. I began to live my life differently, to make many outward changes. I looked different, behaved different, talked different. God knew I had to have a good bit of the puzzle in place in order to be motivated to continue working on it as it got tougher.

In the years since, the puzzle pieces of my life don’t come as quickly but when a piece fits in place the reward is much greater.

I’ve come to realize that when I let people help, the puzzle is much easier to work on however I’ve also come to realize I don’t have to have it all figured out. I can find victory and purpose as I find one piece at time. I don’t have to complete the puzzle quickly I just have to keep working on it. And one day it will be complete. The work will be over and I’ll be able to reflect back over the masterpiece that God created and that He used me to put together.

Today I’ll hope for a piece or two of the puzzle and I’ll be happy with the progress!