Puzzling Pieces

  

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. Romans 8:28 

We were playing in the garage because it was raining outside, and we knocked a box off the shelf.  When we heard the breaking of plates, we knew it was going to be a bad day for us.  Jim was terrified that his Mom was going to be upset with us.  So we decided the best course of action was to confess it, take the punishment, and get it over with.  We told Jim's Mom what had happened and we apologized profusely.  His Mom looked angry for a what seemed like a month, but then she smiled and said, "You know, plates can be replaced. But I have an idea."  We spent the rest of the afternoon making mosaics from the pieces.

 I have a confession to make...I have trouble, sometimes, trusting that God will work everything out according to His plan.  Why? Because, in my limited ability to understand and see His hands at work, I cannot fathom just how He can possibly put all the broken pieces together again.  I struggle with my own understanding because I want to know what is going to happen, when it will happen, and how it will happen.  And God has reminded me that my struggle is called "Lack of Faith"!

When we look at all that is going on in the world, it's easy to wonder where God is in all of this and when will He step in and make it better.   Well, there's BAD NEWS and there's GOOD NEWS.

The BAD NEWS is we need to stop worrying, stop being anxious, stop wondering when and how God will work everything out.  Why? Because it's GOD'S job to fulfill His promise, not ours.  When we try to do God's job, we will quickly become overwhelmed and frustrated and give up.  God is the one with the plan and has worked out all the intricacies of His plan long before He even put the universe together.  How many times does God tell us not to fear and not be anxious?

The GOOD NEWS is that God has never lied to us or failed to fulfill His promises!  And He's not about to start now. God takes the pieces and puts everything in its place so that His plan will ultimately be the result.  And for that reason, we should praise Him and Thank Him!

Waiting

Wait and trust the Lord.
    Don’t be upset when others get rich
    or when someone else’s plans succeed.

Psalm 37:7

Have you ever prayed for something and it seemed that your request just hovered at the ceiling?  I have.  

 

Have you ever thought "God's just not working fast enough"?  I have.

 

Have you wondered why someone else seems to move up faster than you when you believe that you are working twice as hard as they are?  I have too.

 

Something I have learned, and am still learning the hard way, is that God always answers our prayers according to get us in a position where His plans for us will work as perfectly as He designed them.

 

Think of it this way....you have a hankering for an orange.  You plant a seed and you can have all the oranges you want.  You water the seed and tend to the soil and check every single day to see if the oranges are ready yet.  You get angry because you wanted the orange but the orange tree hasn't given you any.  Why?  Because all the processes to make the oranges, make the limbs strong enough to hold the oranges, and for the oranges to ripen enough to eat, have not been completed yet.

 

We live in a world of instant gratification.  If I want something to eat, I can go to the store and get it.  But if I want to advance my career, I can't just go to the store and walk out with a promotion and a raise.

 

You see, God has orchestrated everything in the entire universe and time to put you in just the right place to fulfill your place in His perfect plan.  This does not mean that will like having to wait.  We probably won't like waiting while all the pieces get put into place.  We may not like waiting....  But the end results will blow your mind!

We May Not See It Now, But...

“Do not forget this! Keep it in mind!
    Remember this, you guilty ones.

Remember the things I have done in the past.
    For I alone am God!
    I am God, and there is none like me.

Only I can tell you the future
    before it even happens.
Everything I plan will come to pass,
    for I do whatever I wish."

Isaiah 46:8-10 

Have you ever taken a look at a Mosaic?  Have you ever watched an artist create a Mosaic?

The artist takes colored tiles, pottery, glass and breaks them into small pieces.  Then they will pick through the pieces and shards to find what fits their conceived design.  They each piece is fixed in place to create incredible images like the staircase above.  Each piece of mosaic art is extremely time consuming and labor intensive, not to mention mentally exhausting keeping the image in mind and focusing on making sure each piece is in place.  

The result of all that hard work and patience is breathtaking!  

Now.....we may not understand why we have to endure each event in our lives, but God does.  He is carefully and patiently making sure that each event is in just the right place at just the right time to shape our lives into the most amazing mosaic!

God NEVER makes mistakes!  He is ALWAYS with us, even, and especially, during the tough trials.  And His plans for us are going to be the art that someone else will see and be inspired by, because God never wastes an experience!

If you are going through a difficult, challenging, painful, or troubling time in your life, know that this is part of God's Mosaic called Your Life In Him!