A Distinct Difference Between This and Myself

I had intended to sit down at my computer forty minutes ago. My mistake was walking past the table where I'm working on a jigsaw puzzle. Just one piece, and then I'd head upstairs. It didn't take me forty minutes to find one piece. But what it did take was forty minutes of my prime morning time.

I enjoy working on jigsaw puzzles. I like the coming together of scattered pieces to make a beautiful whole. The process of thoroughly examining each piece and what the pieces are to become brings their details into focus, those small-scale markings that at first may seem inconsequential when viewed as a whole. Yet, comparing the subtle difference in shape of the piece or shade of its hue, and where it belongs in the overall picture is an aha moment. It finds its proper place and becomes part of an emerging picture that shows beauty, artistry, cleverly placed objects, or maybe even in some way speaks to my soul.

I still have many pieces to add, but on the table are partially-finished cars, a few leaves on a tree, a couple of completed signs, the pieces of a white house along the side. I haven't found where one of the signs fits in the picture yet, but I know it will because of the image that it is to become. It's in process.

And so am I. As I work with each piece of the puzzle, bringing them together to conform to the image that it's becoming, I'm reminded that God is conforming me into the image of His Son. He knows that each piece fits and brings good from them all.

There is one distinct difference, however, between the puzzle and myself. It is passive, with pieces that will lie on the table until the end of time if they are not moved. It isn't expected to do anything, it has no personal responsibility to bring itself into conformity to the image on the box.

However, I do. God calls me (and all His children) to be conformed to the image of His Son through the transforming of the mind. How does the transformation happen? We pursue Him through the Word that we've been given, and the Holy Spirit uses it to conform us more and more to the image of the One we bear. This is a mysterious interplay between the providence of God and our own responsibility. We are not to be passive. We are to pursue.

And not be distracted with jigsaw puzzles that can sap prime time. So I tell myself once again that puzzles are for the evening hours when my body and mind are pretty well spent for the day. But I do hope to finish it soon to return it to my Dad. We swap puzzles every now and then.  :-)

When a Poor Decision Becomes the Richer One

I've been thinking and praying the past few weeks about what God would have me do about something that's been on my heart for awhile. I took a step into it yesterday, and it seems to be a positive move forward. Not all of my steps turn out positively, though. Some do not move forward at all. And some have tended to bring doubt and misgivings about God's leading, because some of my 'urgings' (aka ideas) just lead to nowhere or turn out disastrously.

I've at times thought that there must be something wrong with my spirituality, my connection with God, that I couldn't discern His will. There were times when this inability paralyzed me into doing nothing at all. I so very much wanted to be in the center of His perfect will. How more spiritual than that could I possibly be? Nothing else would do. I sincerely believed that all I wanted in my life was doing whatever God wanted, and without full assurance of that, I was not to take another step. "When in doubt, don't."

I've realized over time, though, that what I really wanted was to be all-knowing, not full of doubt. I've since accepted that that's one of God's attributes, and is not communicable to me. It's not one that I can strive after. It is His alone. There are some things that He simply is not telling me, for whatever purpose there might be.

It was spiritually and emotionally freeing when I realized that more than being fearful of missing God's will in a matter, I was fearful of making a mistake, fearful of failure, fearful of where my failure might lead me. What I was doing was living my life in fear rather than in robust faith.

I've learned that being in God's will is not really about the doing. It's not about knowing what I should do every step along the way, although seeking wisdom in decisions is always prudent. God's will is rather about my being as decisions are made. Not what does God want me to do? But who does God want me to be? It's possible to make what seems to be the best choice in a decision, but if that decision is made out of fear or avoidance, what glory does that bring to God?

It's not about making better decisions, but about who I am becoming in whatever decision is made. The doing is often ambiguous. The being is clearly shown in God's Word. I am to be conformed to the image of Christ, transformed into His likeness, becoming like Him. A life lived in trust, knowing that in all my decisions, whether perfect or not, God will work them for good according to His purpose. And often in making a poor decision, I've learned much more about His love and care through its consequences. He is my provider, my sustainer, my sufficiency. He leads me in the paths of righteousness.

Yes, it's more than a little prudent to make wise decisions. Our decisions move us along a path through life.

But sometimes the poor decision can turn out to be the richer decision.

Image ~ Destiny, John William Waterhouse, 1900

public domain via Wikimedia Commons

Pushing Back

I try to keep only a few balls simultaneously in the air. Juggling life can at times be problematic. Am I moving too far forward? Am I keeping a proper distance in the height? Am I consistent with each throw? One miscue and they all come tumbling down. So blogging has been at a standstill this past month. Classes are on pause for awhile, and now my attention is turned once again to here. It's been a month since I've posted, and I hope to share along the way some of the things that I've learned--which is always the purpose, isn't it, to pass on whatever we've learned to whoever will listen.

I was able to rejoin our women's Bible study yesterday. This is a group who dig into God's Word and freely share what they've learned with one another. Some of them know a lot, some of us learn a lot, but whichever end of the spectrum we're on, we all learn and encourage one another in our faith.

You've probably experienced that no matter how many times you've read a passage of Scripture that something new is always to be gained from it. That happened to me yesterday in the passage about Paul and Silas being put in jail without a trial as Roman citizens, which was unlawful. When the mistake was recognized by those in authority, they wanted Paul and Silas to leave quietly. Paul said no way! He wanted the council to come and release them in person.

I've always wondered why Paul was so insistent about that. I would have gone out post haste, but Paul was thinking of more than himself. I tend to think about myself in disagreeable situations, but Paul was thinking how slipping away quietly would reflect on the newly formed church. The council had shamed him because he was talking about Jesus, whom they didn't approved. To slither out of jail was to accept the shame that was put on Jesus' name and, therefore, the believers there in Philippi.

It brought to mind some of what is going on in America today in regard to Christianity. We're told that our beliefs are disapproved, even damaging to our nation. There's an attempt to shame us, to quiet us, to jail us, to keep us from being heard. I'm thankful for those who are pushing back and saying no way!

There was a time in America's recent past when turning the other cheek was expected to be the Christian's response. I believe that response was misconceived, misdirected and taken advantage of by those who manipulate their own political and perverted agendas.

Christians are now pushing back. The Apostle Paul exercised his freedom as a Roman citizen, lest the church be found insignificant in his day. Christians must exercise our freedom as American citizens, lest the church be found insignificant in our day.

It's a spiritual struggle in which we are engaged. May God be merciful and strengthen us.

Image via Pixabay