God's Puzzle

This is a 1000-piece jigsaw puzzle that I've been working on since the holidays. I finally got it put together last Sunday. Up until the final few pieces, I was absolutely convinced that there were pieces missing. I searched several weeks for a few of them. One I found under a couch cushion; a couple of others were tangled up in the fringe of my couch throw. I was sure some pieces were simply wrong for the available spot. In desperation I'd try them and...they'd fit. It was painful, but I was determined to complete the picture and I did. The lessons I learned from putting this puzzle together seem to be a metaphor for my spiritual life.

The most important thing I learned was that I needed the right kind of light coming from the right angle to adequately see the colors and patterns of the puzzle picture. God is my Light; it's only when I put Him in the right place that I can see my life as it should be.

Viewing this puzzle from different perspectives changed how the pieces and the empty places looked. If I sat on the couch, everything was at an angle; if I knelt beside the table, I was too close to one side and too far from the other. Only when I stood up and looked down from a broader perspective, could I place the missing pieces. Looking at life from God's perspective is necessary as well.

Lastly, I learned to try even the pieces that I was convinced wouldn't fit. God's answers to my prayers are a lot like that. I doubt that they will work; I put off trying them because I'm not sure I heard Him correctly. When I relax, remain open and let God in, His answers are always the right ones.

Who knew that putting together a jigsaw puzzle could be such a spiritual experience?