The Missing Puzzle Piece

Written by Brooke-Lauren Montgomery

Are things not going right in your life, Friend? Let me guess, you're exhausted from trying to make it all stay together so it won't disolve and slip right through your fingers? I thought so. I know because I've been there. And sometimes still go there. 

It is completely natural for us to want to be in control, and the sense of knowing things are under control gives us relief and comfort. 

But what happens when your world suddenly gets turned upside down? 

Your spouse dies unexpectedly, you lose your job, you get diagnosed with a terminal illness, or a wayward child packs their stuff and leaves to never look back? 

Suddenly, you don't feel in control, and you feel that if you could somehow fix the situation, everything will be hunkydory. Not necessarily. (Sorry to burst your bubble) . However, this is all a good thing.

I can see you gaping at the screen wondering what I've been smoking. But, yes, you read correctly about it being a good thing you aren't in control. 

I suppose you would like to know the why's. I'm glad you asked! :

Strength of Trust: If you sailed through life with nothing but smiles, chasing butterflies, and singing a tune to Life is Sweet, where's the trust in God? Where's the faith in God? I know that some of you who are reading this blog may not be "religious", but, you know what? I'm so blessed that you are reading this right now because I believe that God has a word for unbelievers as well as believers. He loves us all the same, no matter what we've done.

Turning Point: There are times that God allows certain instances to happen in your life that will shake your world for one reason--to draw you to Himself. Did you know that God is a jealous God? Deuteronomy 4:24 says, "For the Lord your God is a consuming fire; a jealous God." He is jealous for you, my friend! He wants you to Himself, and if a certain circumstance in your life is what it takes for you to run into His arms, then He will let it be. You may be thinking, how is God a loving God when He allows this to happen to me? Why can't he just speak out loud to me or, you know, write on the wall? The answer is this--it ties along with Faith and Trust. Are you familiar with the book of Job? Did you know that God allowed satan to take everything he had? His family, his cattle, everything. Except, God told satan he could not take Job's life. Job had it all. He was living the all smiles and chasing butterflies life until God allowed him to be put through a test. You may ask, well, did he pass the test? With flying colors, Friend. Even when others, his friends and his wife, told him to just curse God and die, he did not do it. He continued to praise God even though his world was falling apart. Well, why didn't he just curse God and die? I believe it was because he knew God had blessed him with such a good life, that when he went through the trials, God was the only One he could lean on. He had that will to keep believing that God would see him through it all. And God did. In fact, he gave Job everything back double because of Job's faithfulness and because he didn't give into what his family and friends told him to do.

Well, how do you know God doesn't cause these bad things to happen? That's a good question. Bad things come from one thing and one thing only--satan. Who was it that tempted Eve in the garden of Eden? satan. Did Eve fall for it? Yeah. satan is a sly, tricky, manipulative scumbag that makes things look so appealing to us that often times we fall for it. Even believers at times fall for one of satan's tricks because we are all human. But, being human isn't an excuse to run around doing whatever we want. 

But, satan is the bad one. He's the evil one. All bad things come from him. Notice the "all". Not some, not most, not many, but ALL.

God is the creator of good. Did you know that His plan for us is for good? Jeremiah 29:11 says, "'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares The Lord, 'plans to prosper you, and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.'" Well, how do I get this prosperous future? How do I get this hope? I'm glad you asked! The answer is in the next verses, Jeremiah 29:12-13, "Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart." All you have to do is cry to Him. He hears you.

Well, if he hears me, why isn't He answering? Sometimes the answer doesn't always come to us the way we want it to. It ties in along with Faith as well. I guarantee you that He will answer you when the time is right. DO NOT GIVE UP ON GOD.

It all works together for our good: Even though life is hard at times, and things seem impossible, everything works out for good. Yes, the bad works out for good. Romans 8:28 says, "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them that are the called according to His purpose." Again, notice the "all". It doesn't say, some things, or most things, or occasionally things. It says ALL things. If you cling to that verse, and you repeat it each time something happens in your life, it will bring you comfort. I know this because I do it. It is my life verse. It's written on my calendar at work, taped on my computer, and etched on my heart.

The missing puzzle piece: There's a missing piece of the puzzle in your life that you will never find unless you give up. When I say "give up", I'm not speaking of suicide or anything else that's life threatening. You give up your fight of controlling what you can't, to God. 

He sees it all, the whole puzzle, and we as humans only get pieces at a time...sometimes the pieces don't make sense because we have them turned the wrong way and they don't fit due to us trying to force them into where we want them to go...but God turns the pieces in due time for us so that we finally are able to see why they would not fit at first. God has you in His Hands and loves you more than you possibly could ever know.

Also, giving over what bothers us or burdens us to God, takes a tremendous pressure off our shoulders. Sometimes things we do carry in our lives, we aren't meant to carry. We actually insist on carrying it on our backs even though the opportunity is staring us right in the face to get it taken off. God wants us to throw it all on Him because He is strong enough to hold it all. He knows we can't. 1 Peter 5:7 says, "Cast all your anxiety on Him, for He cares for you." Wow, the word "all" is REALLY popular! Sadly, sometimes holding too many burdens and pressures inside, result in diseases like cancer. When we are overly stressed and anxious, it damages the body. 

Did you know that we are not to be anxious? This next verse is one I need to hold onto all the time. Philippians 4:6 says, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." 

Did you know that there are 365 places/verses in The Bible where it tells us not to fear? That's a verse for one day every year, telling us not to be afraid! How awesome is that?! 

Friends, I hope this blog encouraged you today. Keep your head up! Call to God today. He's waiting for it eagerly. And, if you are not a believer, I encourage you to do the same. He'll answer. :)