A Piece of the Puzzle

You know back when we were younger and we would try to attempt the thousand piece puzzles, then move up each level after we achieved them? Sometimes we would even take that special glue and display our masterpiece for everyone to see and marvel over the feat. I always made sure to show my whole family and show off the hard work I did.

I’ve realized recently that we are all like puzzle pieces. We are broken and haggard, maybe even missing some. Everyone goes through something different, different events that shape us into the people we are today.  But without all the pieces we will never be able to see the big, final, picture.

Like puzzles we are constantly falling apart at the seams. One wrong move and we can be scattered and bruised and lost under the furniture. We keep putting ourselves back together over and over but nothing ever stays permanent. That is, until we put the glue into the equation.

God is the glue to our puzzle pieces. He knows the bigger picture that our pieces will appear to be and is dedicated to helping us get there. He completes the puzzle of us and keeps us together. Without Him we would be fragile and falling apart every time something or someone knocked us over.  We would lose pieces of ourselves and our picture wouldn’t be able to be complete.

            But, God sees that bigger picture. And His goal is to be the glue to our life and piece, by, piece, through our faith in Him, we start to get put back together.

            Every time we crack open our Bible and connect with the word, boom, there’s another piece.  When we pray to God, talk to Him regularly, build our relationship with Him, there’s another five pieces.  Anytime we spread the light of the Lord and share His word, we get more and more complete, until we are staring at a full puzzle.

            And like every puzzle, there are more and more pictures and pieces that can be added and lost. The more we continue our relationship with God, the more we see the bigger picture He has for us and how good He really is.  He starts to add on and give us more pieces for a whole different puzzle, and it changes our course of direction.  

            Of course there will be trials and tribulations, and times when we try to make a piece fit where it doesn’t belong.  Our picture will look awkward and weak, but that’s when God steps in with His glue and takes over. He can only do that though if we let him though.  It’s really hard to just hand over the controls and allow God to build the puzzle but it’s a must if we want that beautiful picture promised on the box. And most of the time? It’s even better than what we imagined.

We are all a little broken inside, but it’s the glue of God that puts us back together.

Don't Feel Bad If You Aren't Called

Mission trips are the Disneyland for Christian, college students. Thousands of packets are sent out, essays are being written, and God expresses His love and truth in the craziest times around that time (not that He doesn’t any other days). Once the list is released on who is going where and when, your world fills up with fundraisers, social media donations, and prayer requests. It’s common to see hundreds of T-Shirts, bought to support a person, raising money to go to Africa or the Middle East. You can hear conversations in the hallways about the training, and how they’re scrambling to get their passport in time.

            I get asked a lot if I am going on a mission trip. I used to feel judged to say no, that I never even applied for any trips. I didn’t even take a packet from the table. In my heart, I just wasn’t into it. But now, I realize that it’s okay to not want to go on a mission trip. God calls us for different things; some may be to spread the word in Malaysia, and some, to stay home and do God’s bidding there.

            It’s hard to not get jealous when I see all these communities, getting ready to go to some place exotic, to teach people about Jesus and the Bible. Relationships are made and everyone is bonding over the trip.  The little green monster in me breaks out mostly because my summer won’t be spent in a different country. I’ll probably end up home, reading, and baking.  I came across this verse though, and it stilled my heart and made me understand God’s plan for my life.

1 Corinthians 7:17 ESV
“Only let each person lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him, and to which God has called him. This is my rule in all the churches.”
            God’s call for me isn’t through ministry in a different country. Maybe someday, but definitely not now. I have no desire to go and I know now that God has put that in my heart for a specific reason. I may not know what He has for me but, I will find out in time. I’ll just have to be patient (which is super hard for a testy girl like me) and trust in my faith in God.

            God may want you to stay and show love to your parents who are going through a divorce. Or maybe your friend is going through a hard time, and He is calling you to minister to them. Whatever the reason, God has it all in His hands. We are His children and he literally, know us all by name (stupid and embarrassing nicknames and all).

            My advice for those who are down because they feel like they don’t want to go abroad and spread the Word, is don’t. God calls everyone to do his bidding differently, and if everyone left for other countries who would help and show God’s love here? He has a plan and knows what that is. So don’t confuse the not yearning to jump at the chance to go overseas as laziness or, being “too scared.” It’s really just God telling you that, “No, I have better plans somewhere else.”

Everyone is called to ministry, but it’s up to God to decide where and when.

“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.”Romans 12:12 NIV