A while back, I wrote this post about an interesting way to view life – as puzzle pieces, and each event or season in our lives is a small puzzle piece that forms and connects with other pieces as our lives grow into obedience of what God is asking us to do. This started out as a simple, yet profound thought to me. One that as I really began to press into it, it made so much sense. As I shared this thought with others, it became clear that this wasn’t from me. It was a thought that had been birthed from the Holy Spirit.
As I went back to look at the date from that post, it was from the beginning of February. I had already said yes to South Africa, but little did I know that was happening deep under the surface of my heart, especially in regards to this puzzle piece idea. And I still don’t think I can explain it, other than God is up to something far bigger than I could ever imagine or produce on my own. And the proof of that was on the ground, literally. We hit the ground running on Monday morning, at Elukholweni Farm School. My excitement began to build as I saw the construction site for the additional classrooms, so that’s where I headed first. As soon as I approached the site, something caught my eye on the ground. Here’s what I saw:
Yes, those are puzzle pieces. Literally lying all over the ground. My first thought wasn’t so much of a thought as it was the realization that God truly was at work. It is absolutely no coincidence that a month before the trip, this thought formed in my heart that so deeply resonated. And then, to physically see these pieces all over the ground. I’d be willing to bet that to anyone else who walks over those pieces, they mean nothing more than pieces that spilled out of a moved box. It’s amazing how significant something so small can be.
I have to stop here and recognize that if ever I wondered whether or not God was up to something in my life – these puzzle pieces are the answer. And I honestly believe that all of us – no matter who we are, what we’ve done, where we’ve been, or whatever we think is keeping us from God – we are within finger’s reach of our Father’s hand. It’s so easy to feel like we’re half a world away from Him, I get that. I’ve been there. Regardless of our circumstances, He is always up to something in our lives. Sometimes, He makes it incredibly obvious – sometimes, because we need it to be blindingly in front of us. Other times, and perhaps seemingly most often, we have to seek and keep our ears pressed low to the ground. Even then, it’s hard to hear if it’s the Lord’s voice or our own. But after seeing these puzzle pieces, I can say with absolute confidence that He will always make sure we know His way. He will never leave us to question where He wants us, or what He wants us to do. Sometimes, He asks us to seek and listen far longer than we’d like, but He will always provide the puzzle pieces lying on the ground.
by grace alone 