When the Pieces Finally Fit

Hey friends!

Just a head's up, this blog post is much more personal to me, and while it's puzzle-adjacent, it's more about my life and faith (which by now, you probably know is in Jesus!) than puzzles.

It's rare in life that I'm not thinking about something. Caylyn often looks and me and says I have my "thinking face" on, and asks what I'm thinking about! It's also not uncommon that I'm so in thought that I don't even notice someone is talking to me. Between Jesus and His Word nearly always being on my mind, family, work - both at my day job and Puzzle Bomb - and everything else, there's just a lot to be thinking about!

However, when I puzzle, it's different. When I'm entirely focused on putting those pieces together, it's like my mind is a blank slate, and I'm open to thoughts and feelings I didn't even realize I had. I'm not trying to have them; they just happen. To be honest, some of them not all that fun, or seemingly bizarre and off-the-wall. It's... interesting... what happens when you're not actively engaged in thought.

I don't know if anyone can relate, but have you ever had imaginary conversions in your mind? Ones that will never happen in reality, but for some reason you're playing out the scenario? For me, I noticed they would often happen while I puzzled. Except, they'd often be arguments or contention with someone, many times someone I don't even think about or haven't seen in years. Often about issues that I didn't think I even cared about. The weird thing is I'm not a very confrontational or contentious person, and I'm not one to hold a grudge, so these thoughts are far from the peace and contentment I generally enjoy in life.

Now, I could leave it at that, and think, "Huh, that was weird", and move on. Most of us do just that.

However, as I grow in my relationship with Jesus, I've realized He often uses those thoughts out of left field to point me to some area of healing He has for me. When I take those thoughts to Him and simply ask, "Lord, I don't know what the deal is with these thoughts, but I know they're not the nature or character you're producing in me as I follow you. Can you help me?", He does amazing things.

When I take these thoughts to Him that I'm just often too busy to realize I have, He points me to long-held resentments that I'd never really let go of. He points me to areas of unforgiveness and all the baggage that comes with not forgiving. He points me to jealousy I've held. He points me to ways I view myself or others that aren't the way He sees us.

They're often seemingly insignificant, but I've learned the Lord cares about every aspect of our lives, from the big things to the little things. Even those "little things" influence us more than we realize.

And, even better, He then walks it out with me. He shows me the truth of the situation, and supernaturally enables me to forgive as He's forgiven me. He gives me His eyes to see people and situations through a new lens. He helps me put the pieces together, so to speak, in a way that I'd never be able to on my own.

Have you ever dumped a puzzle onto your table, stared at it, making little progress, and eventually just raked the pieces back into the box? The box is probably still sitting on your shelf, with the puzzle never put together. That would be what happens to these thoughts if I never brought them to Him. He knows exactly where each piece belongs!

In the Bible, the book of Luke (starting in Luke 4:18) records Jesus reading these verses from Isaiah, declaring His mission statement:

"The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
    because he has anointed me
    to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
    and recovery of sight for the blind,
to set the oppressed free,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor."

Now, my life is pretty wonderful. Jesus has set me free from so much already, from addiction, to issues of self-worth, to pride, and the list goes on and on. It's not always easy to see where I'm still poor, shackled, blind, or oppressed - areas of my life where I still need good news, recovery of sight, or freedom. But, out of all places, He's used puzzling to bring those areas to the forefront.

God has such a sense of humor that He would then give me a talent for designing puzzles, in the hope that everyone would see their need of Jesus as well. He truly is the missing piece! My prayer is that everyone would see the goodness of God in Christ, see their need of Him, and have the same life transformation in Him as we've had.

Love and blessings,
Chad