The Big Picture

,     My family recently completed a 1,000 piece puzzle over Christmas Break. This was a huge accomplishment considering it was out on the coffee table for two weeks, I watch a two year old boy who plays in the same room, and we have a family friend who likes to steal pieces. Nevertheless we were up for the challenge. All of us would work on it a little bit at a time; finding one or two pieces when we had a chance. (It was much more fun than doing laundry or school.) When it came down to the end, we were missing one piece. I was so proud of our hard work, but frustrated that it wasn't complete.  I looked everywhere for that missing piece. I looked under the table, around the living room, in drawers and interrogated every family member to make sure someone wasn't trying to be funny. I even blamed that puzzle piece stealing friend for taking it. (I apologized later.) As I stared at the nearly completed puzzle, God whispered something in my spirit. A gentle reminder when life seems out of control . . . 
     The big picture is often hard to see when you are smack dab in the middle of life. Whether things are going great or you are struggling, we often don't see God's plan in it's entirety. Sometimes life just doesn't make sense. Sometimes it is just hard. Sometimes we don't have the answers. But we need to remember that God is the one who directs our path. We need to trust our creator and His plan for our lives. We don't have to see the big picture to take the next step. We just need to put one piece down at a time. We need to be courageous and take the next step and trust God for the future.  Let's be honest . . . if we knew what was coming, would we be willing to go there? 
     And now the rest of the story . . . That same evening one of my children found the missing piece under the table; the same table I had looked under three times. Just like that the puzzle was complete. It was beautiful and we were all proud. It was a slow process, but the end result was worth it.
     Our lives are no different. We are precious to God and He has a plan. He has had a plan from the beginning. It isn't always easy, and sometimes the journey takes time, but it will be worth it. Keep moving forward and trust God, for He will reveal to you what you are ready for. Your picture may not be complete, but it can still be beautiful!

​ "He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.."
 Ecclesiastes 3:11

"And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns." 
​Philippians 1:6