Fitting in the Pieces

Abby was working on a cube puzzle recently. You know the kind--take 9 cubes, and if you put them together just right you can come up with 6 different pictures. If you think about it, it's a bit hard for a little kid until they become familiar with the scenes and how things fit together.

I watched Abby for a while. I tried to offer as little advice as possible.

"Turn them all to the same color frame."

Then wait and see what she can figure out. Put one in a corner. Add another. And another. Realize that none of them are in the right place. Hmm. What to do now?

"You see that corner piece? Put it in the corner."

More waiting while she figures out what fits where.

Suddenly it struck me how much my gently-coaching-but-mostly-remaining-quiet while Abby works is like my relationship with God. So often I would like Him to tell me more.

What do I do? How do I do this? I can't make all the pieces of my life fit right now, Lord. Can you just tell me what the end is supposed to look like? Please?

I would love a puzzle cover for my life. So He gives us scriptures. And His Spirit. And here a little and there a little He gives little pieces of light and wisdom.

"Try responding with love."
                                     

"That's not really what you want in the long term."

"You'll feel better if you forgive."

Bit by bit I try to follow instructions. When I do things work better. He doesn't give it to me all at once--He doesn't do the puzzle for me. The reasons are the same. If I did the puzzle for Abby, what would she discover and how would she grow? If God does it all for me, how will I learn?

So I stumble along piece by piece. I know that I am safe in His hands. And in the end the picture He helps me create will be glorious.