A Puzzling Life

It’s not a hard life, you know? It’s a long life, a bright life and a life with purpose. So many purposes. And the way we live it is sometimes a bit puzzling. Literally, we puzzle the pieces of our life together in this one great picture called life.

On my Sabbath two days ago, I started making a puzzle. One of a thousand pieces. I’m not sure how long I sat on it, but for sure a good couple of hours. Then yesterday on Sunday I worked on it a bit more. And this morning while I lay another few pieces down I started thinking. I started connecting the pieces of the puzzling with my past of procrastination. As I continue the strain of thought I connect the pieces of the puzzle to my life. Our life, actually. And so now I’m here, wanting to share these pieces of my mind with you.

Google has three definitions of the verb puzzle: cause (someone) to feel confused because they cannot understand something; think hard about something because one cannot understand it; and, solve or understand something by thinking hard. I believe that in life when it comes to the purpose or the way of it, we go through these stages as well. We feel confused at first, not understanding why things are going the way they are going. Then we think hard about it, which hopefully leads us to solving it. I say hopefully, because with hope we want to find out to know and understand, but let’s be honest… how many of us know exactly what all our purposes are and know the ‘why’ behind all things happening in our life? I’m pretty sure nobody does. The only one that does, is our loving Father. Who created us and our purpose and knew all that we would go through before we were even conceived. How about we just accept that and look at life a little less puzzling?

Determination to finish the puzzle.
That’s how it started this morning, this connecting of (my) life and making a puzzle. I am making this puzzle right next to my bed, which means there is no way of missing it. That wasn’t the intention. I actually just wanted to be in an angle to be able to watch TV at the same time. But now that it’s here, I can’t and don’t want to miss it. I looked at it and thought, “This will not be one of the hundred projects I haven’t finished yet”. Shout-out to all the creatives out there, knowing exactly what I’m talking about. As I learned this year that procrastination is a disobedience to God and thus a sin, I choose to not procrastinate anymore. But if it’s so deep in your core that it’s almost a routine, then ‘choosing not to’ will take some work. Hard work that begins with determination.

Avoiding the tough puzzle pieces.
I then realized that I was picking the easy puzzle pieces first, leaving the hard ones for last. The easy puzzle pieces are the fun parts of our projects. The fun things to do in our life. The ones we can just enjoy, don’t have to think too much about and don’t drain our energy. These are especially the ones that take us out of our comfort zone. So we avoid them. This is when self-discipline is so key. That we do what we have to do, even if we want to or not. And I believe that self-discipline can be strengthened with consistency. The more we do these things we don’t want to do, the more regular it becomes, the more it turns into a routine, a new habit or a new norm. Turning these puzzle pieces from a hate-to into a have-to with a dash of suck-it-up.

Starting to understand the bigger picture.
When we are consistent in placing the puzzle pieces, both the easy and the tough ones, we see things starting to come together. That piece that first was on its own, is now connected to others. It now makes sense being part of a bigger picture. Maybe not the whole picture yet, but definitely a larger image and purpose is revealed.

Not without the example.
I then noticed how I wouldn’t be able to make this puzzle without the example on the box. I wouldn’t be able to do life purposefully without the example of and in Christ. Without Him I wouldn’t be where I am today, I wouldn’t be able to understand and connect the puzzle pieces I’ve laid down. Without Him I wouldn’t know how to correctly handle my emotions, situations and tribulations in life. Without Him, finishing my life’s purpose would not be possible.

Trust on trust.
A couple of pieces of this puzzle I am making are part of the ocean and the sky that are in this specific picture. These pieces are just blue of the oceans, white of the clouds or have some colours of the sun-rising or sun-setting sky in them. But there are no significant or recognizable parts in the piece that will help me to connect them easily. I say easily, because apparently, it’s not impossible. As I started to get through one of the puzzle piles I made (in order to have a limit each time I sit for it, otherwise I never stop), I got to those monochromatic puzzle pieces and thought, “I’m not going to be able to do those until the end”. But then that anti-procrastination nudge came again and told me to try. But wait… How will I find that piece in the example on the box? How long will this take? Am I even able to do that? — Do you recognize these questions? God tells us to go, to try; He sends us and equips us to do what He calls us to do; and still, we dare to question. Where is our trust in God? If He trusts us with these tasks, talents and time; if He trusts us with this stewardship; then who are we not to put this trust back in Him. Through Christ, we can do all things. Let’s be stewards of trust as well.

1 Corinthians‬ ‭2‬:‭15‬-‭16‬ ‭[HCSB] — “The spiritual person, however, can evaluate everything, yet he himself cannot be evaluated by anyone. For who has known the Lord’s mind, that he may instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ.”

1 Corinthians‬ ‭6‬:‭2‬-‭3‬ ‭[NLT] — “Don’t you realize that someday we believers will judge the world? And since you are going to judge the world, can’t you decide even these little things among yourselves? Don’t you realize that we will judge angels? So you should surely be able to resolve ordinary disputes in this life.”

I took a one-coloured puzzle piece and looked closely, trying to find its uniqueness. I checked if there was a curve in the ocean, maybe a ripple. I checked the lumps of the cloud and looked for shadows. I then looked back at the box, moving the pieces towards the colour it’s more similar to. Some I recognized and connected to the puzzle. For the others, I had to reflect on the pieces of the puzzle I had already made. I reflected on how far I’ve come. I reflected on the gaps that are there and I don’t yet understand. And I reflected on the shapes the puzzle pieces left. I then looked back to the puzzle piece in my hand and recognized where it belongs. With excitement I connected it, and yes, it belonged! I then finally took the box, looked at the example to confirm the location of the undulation in the water. And it was good.

Romans‬ ‭8‬:‭28‬ ‭[HCSB] — “We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God: those who are called according to His purpose.”

May you enjoy puzzling the pieces of your life as well.