The Missing Piece

It was a beautiful picture, so colorful, inviting and bright. One thousand pieces, ages 12 and up, written clearly on the box.

How hard can this be?

Right?

If you are one of those brave souls that have ever taken on the task of putting a jigsaw puzzle together, you fully understand that it can be quite a challenge. Though not particularly skilled in this art, I have helped, (and I use the term “helped” very loosely) my daughter, Melody, with a few of these. One thing I have learned is that it requires diligence and patience.

I remember watching as she carefully opened the box and slowly dumped the pieces on a table, careful that none fell off the edge, and thinking, “There’s no way.”

At the outset, it is very important to keep in mind that completing a jigsaw puzzle is not for the faint of heart. It may take hours, days, or even weeks or months, depending on the time devoted to this project.

Remember — diligence and patience.

Methodically, we begin turning each puzzle piece face up, grouping the pieces that have straight edges in one area of the table, while taking note of color similarities and arranging those pieces in close proximity, in another area.

Slowly, but surely, an image begins to appear on the table that resembles the one on the box.

As we near the end of the adventure, I can remember, more than once, saying, “I think we’ve lost a piece.” 

Staring incessantly from one side of the table with no results, I move to the other side to get a different perspective. I compare shapes, sizes and colors, while trying my best to “make” something fit. I’m certain that a piece has been lost.

Then finally, the last piece is snapped in place, and the picture is complete. Everything I needed was already there, but fitting it all together, now, that was the challenge.

Our lives are much like a jigsaw puzzle. Looking at all the pieces can sometimes be overwhelming. Some pieces are upside down. Not all pieces have straight edges. Some pieces contain curves and the strangest shapes.

We keep trying to make a beautiful picture of our lives, struggling to “make” something fit, all the while, it seems there are missing pieces. We have a picture in our minds much like the beautiful picture on the puzzle box, but unfortunately, it’s not turning out like we planned.

Sadly, all of our pieces are not border pieces with straight edges. Some are middle pieces and come in the most unusual shapes and sizes. We did not anticipate the odd shapes and unexpected turns that our life has taken.

We stare at brokenness, bitterness, heartbreak, hopelessness, and disappointing pieces of our life that just don’t seem to fit.

We had dreams when we were younger, dreams of a beautiful picture, of a “happily ever after” life, but now our dreams have become broken and shattered. Seems as though our lives have fallen apart, and all that’s left are strange looking pieces. Day after day, week after week, month after month, and sometimes, year after year, it seems that, “We’ve lost a piece,” or perhaps, several pieces.

Broken pieces, shattered pieces, missing pieces, and yet, God, from His perspective sees every piece. God is not overwhelmed with the number of pieces that form our lives. He has not left out, or lost anything. God wastes nothing, and He is a master at putting those broken pieces together. 

So when they were filled, He said to His disciples, “Gather up the fragments that remain, so that nothing is lost.” John 6:12

If you’re walking through a season of life, and you feel there’s a missing piece, or maybe several pieces, rest assured, “nothing is lost” with God, and He stands patiently waiting for you to give Him all of your brokenness and those parts that don’t seem to fit. When we give all the pieces to God, it’s so amazing how beautiful our lives can become as we allow Him to put every piece in the proper place.

You are never too broken that God cannot fix.

It’s the small pieces that make the big picture.

So the next time you feel there may be a missing piece or something just doesn’t fit, remember, all the pieces are there, and every piece fits perfectly in God’s plan.

I’m . . .

Still Believing!