Do you ever feel like life is one giant puzzle, an assortment of random pieces without pattern or purpose?
When my family got together for Thanksgiving, we did what many families do. We ate turkey and pie and played games. And, off and on, we worked on a jigsaw puzzle.
I have a love-hate relationship with jigsaw puzzles. On one hand, I love the satisfaction of finding two pieces that fit perfectly, then watching an image form as I snap in a third and fourth piece. A sense of accomplishment drives me to keep working, despite the tedious, time-consuming task.
But those 1,000-piece puzzles frustrate me.
Discouragement mounts when I see the jumbled sea of tiny, random pieces piled one atop the other, with no immediately discernable pattern.
Life sometimes feels like that thousand-piece puzzle. Random, unrelated happenings. Dark, ugly pieces…problems, aggravations, plans spoiled, and hearts broken.
Yes, sometimes we enjoy beautiful moments. But those moments are like dozens of sky-blue puzzle pieces. They’re pretty, but are they meaningful?
We like to quote Romans 8:28 when life doesn’t make sense.
“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” Rom. 8:28 ESV
But is that just a verse we recite to make ourselves feel better about unpleasant circumstances?
All Things Fit Together According to God’s Purpose
The Bible says God has a purpose for our lives. The Greek word for “purpose” is prothesis, a setting forth. God has a plan that He sets forth.
I know God has a plan for the world in general. And, in my self-centeredness, I often talk to God as if my little problems are labeled “Top Priority” on God’s To-Do List. But then I remember the eight billion other people in the world, and I wonder if God really cares about the minutia of my daily life.
But the Bible tells me He is a God of infinite wisdom, and nothing is too great or small for Him.
Psalm 139 indicates that God knows everything about us. Before we were even born, God knew us individually.
“O Lord, you have searched me and known me!
You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar.” Psalm 139:1-2 ESV“Your eyes saw my unformed substance;
in your book were written, every one of them,
the days that were formed for me,
when as yet there was none of them.” Psalm 139:16 ESV
God foreknew each day, each minute, of my life on earth. He knew when He called me and offered me salvation, I would say yes.
He justified me and gave me a clean slate, “just as if I never sinned.” And, in eternity future, I am glorified with Christ.
“For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.” Rom. 8:29 -30 ESV
God is at work, putting together a beautiful picture where I will resemble Jesus, good, kind, righteous, holy. That is His ultimate purpose for me.
We Can’t Thwart God’s Purpose
God knows everything we’ve done and everything we’re going to do.
Just as Jesus knew in advance that Peter would deny him, He also knows our present and future failures. And we can’t mess up God’s plan. (Matthew 26:30-35 and Matthew 26:69-75)
Our misdeeds do not alter God’s decrees.
Finding Meaning in the Mess
We don’t see the future as God sees it. So right now, life may look like a jumbled mess of unrelated pieces. And our lives don’t fall into place the way we expect.
- No matter how long and hard we work, we don’t seem to make much progress.
- Jobs that seem to be the “perfect fit” don’t pan out.
- Relationships that appear to be a perfect match don’t turn out quite right, no matter how hard we try to make them mesh.
- And events of our life are like those weirdly shaped puzzle pieces. We wonder how God could possibly use them for our good.
But slowly, piece by piece, we begin to see the big picture as the puzzle takes shape.
God Will Accomplish His Purpose
I’ve experienced a few disappointments lately. Things I yearned for and sought after did not materialize.
Like me, as you try to make sense of your life, you may see a lot of missing pieces. Yet we can trust God will continue to work all things together.
I look back on my life and see how God used the dark times to build strength, character, and trust.
Often things didn’t work out the way I planned, and the pieces didn’t fit together as I expected. But God had a better plan and a better purpose for me.
The odd, inexplicable events became part of a beautiful picture.
I may give up on my jigsaw puzzle, but God will never give up on me. He will continue until every piece is in place and He sees the image of his Son in my life.
“And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” Philippians 1:6 ESV
So, if, like me, you need a reminder, here it is:
Your life has a purpose.
God has a plan, even if you can’t envision it now.
And He will never give up on you or on me.
Images thanks to Hans Peter Gauster, Ross Sneddon, and Tanja Tepavak on Unsplash.