Friday 14 October 2016

The 'puzzling' truth about God's plans

It has been the best of times; its been the worst of times. It's been a long time. Thirteen weeks, at least that's what my blog tells me. In those thirteen weeks, I thought about writing every.single.day.

Why didn't I?

A lot has happened, and because I have been away so long, it's hard to know just where to begin. My sister has been insisting I write a praise report on God's goodness towards my oldest daughter, so I will do just that.

That seems a good place to begin.

I call it .. The great puzzle.



 My youngest daughter likes to do puzzles; me?.... Not so much! I don't like to sit in one place too long, I don't like to look for the pieces and make them fit just right, I don't find it at all relaxing, and to top it off, I'm not very good at it. I remember as a child when I used to visit my late aunt's house, she would have those 1000 piece puzzles. Many times they would be in a state of 'un done' and a few weeks later 'all done' and displayed on a center table with a vase on it. I didn't give it much thought then but that must have been a true labour of love. Me?...as they say...' I ain't got time for that!'

I don't like 'puzzling' as my daughter calls it, but I often attempt it and end of uniquely frustrated.

A few years ago life got 'puzzling'. My daughter had to stop going to private school. It was no longer affordable, she had to be sent to public school and it was a difficult transition. Getting her into a 'preferred' public school proved futile and she ended up at one that didn't top the list. Fast forward four years and she has transitioned to one of the top high schools in the country! She did so well that she earned two scholarships to cover her high school career.

Who could it be but God?

When she had to leave private school, I was devastated and angry at God for not providing some way for her to stay. I wondered where was my 'four days late?'
Four years later he showed me that not only is he always on time but he is the plan.


God, the ultimate puzzle master.

The pieces of the puzzle did not fit for me at the time and I spent many wasted days and nights trying to put pieces together that almost fit, but as you know.. ' almost doesn't count'. I have been humbled by a God that proved that not only is he good at ordering our steps but he is excellent at putting puzzle pieces together.

 Why?

He is the puzzle master, he has all the pieces. All.

Us?... well we have one puzzle piece at a time that we get to put down when something happens. The problem is, we don't seem to know this. We think we have all the pieces and we go on misadventures trying to do our 'puzzling' and end up ...well..puzzled.

When everything fell in place with my daughter, I had to smile, I had to say.. ' I see what you did there God'. I realised why no other situation concerning my daughter ever worked the way I wanted it to. I.did.not.have.that.piece.of.the.puzzle. It was not mine to fit. I was not good at puzzles. 

The 'puzzling' truth 

I have come to realise in these few weeks away that I need to trust the timing of my life. I need to let go and let God. I need to trust him, even in the big fat no's.

Behind all of God knows (no's) are yes's waiting on obedience.

Why haven't I written in so long?

There is something so haunting about standing in disobedience to God that can paralyse a person that thinks about writing everyday.

My blog needs to go in a slightly different direction and it is a little bit 'puzzling' to me. It isn't exactly where I would put down that puzzle piece.. you know...the one that I think I have!

Many days I often have to go back to Jeremiah 29:11. It is life. It is the answer to all the puzzles we often try to solve. It is what I and you must apply when we are led in directions that seem 'puzzling'.



Are you trying to put puzzle pieces together?
Do you have a praise report? Share it with us below.


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