And God knows where each piece is supposed to go.
Do you know that we all hold pieces of each others‘ puzzle? And have you ever wondered whose pieces you’re holding and who in the world has your missing pieces? How would you ever find them?
There is a way to know, although I’ll tell you it may require a life journey and adventure. A good starting place always is to slow down; actually stop from your busyness. If you are not willing to develop this daily habit you will never find all the puzzle pieces you are longing to find. (And others will never find the pieces you are holding onto because you are too busy to notice.) Take time each day and throughout the day to cultivate “being still.” God wants you to be complete and whole, in health and in sickness, when you have some money in the bank and when the bills stack high, when everyone gets along and when there are tensions, in good times and in bad.
He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.” Psalm 46:10
Take your focus off your to-do list, your struggles, and your worries. Find a quiet place and talk with God in a conversational way as you would with a close friend. Ask Him to reveal who He wants to bring across your path today. He may reveal the answer as you pray. Or He may reveal it spontaneously to you later in the day. I almost walked away from such a God-provided opportunity at the grocery store a few days ago. An acquaintance was sharing their struggles while we waited in the checkout lane. When we finished talking, I turned to put my items on the checkout counter. But feeling God’s nudge, I turned back and asked the person, “Could I pray with you about this situation?”
- One prayer: One minute of my day
- Tears of appreciation: Will be embedded in my memory for a long time
- The power of God to work the next step in this person’s life: PRICELESS
Whose puzzle piece do you hold today? As it becomes more and more of a habit to give away your ‘extra’ pieces, you will discover some of your own puzzle pieces along the journey. Learn to expect the unexpected and in time you will find yourself more and more sensitive to the world around you.
Thank you for posting this. Keep up the good job! 🙂
Thanks for stopping by Go Light Your World! We try to write as God speaks to us of His truth and grace in such practical ways. Feel free to share the site with others you think would be blessed.
Thanks, Bryan, for this timely message. I am a firm believer that “for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction”. That was something I stressed while teaching swim lessons and coaching swim team years ago. But more recently, I see how it plays out in our lives as well. When we criticize and belittle others, it basically is to exalt or build ourselves up. In your example today, I see that when we are willing to pray for or build others up, we are really lifting them above ourselves through humility and unselfishness. Unfortunately, we do not come by that naturally but only after God has allowed us to go through some painful or embarrassing experiences. It is so true that we need to “be still” and allow God to speak and work through us. Thanks again for your encouraging words.
Such great insight Karen. I should have you be a guest contributer to the blog!