Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.  Perseverance must finish its work so that you  may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

~James 1:2-4 NIV

Five-year-old Lindy and I had been working on the jigsaw puzzle.

We placed it on a puzzle board and worked on it a little each day before sliding it back under the couch. One day, we had made much progress and only had about twenty-five pieces left. Lindy announced that she was tired and wanted to quit. Those last pieces were always a bit of a trial to fit into their rightful places. I, too, felt rather discouraged with this fiddley part. But then my eye caught sight of one particular piece, and I knew exactly where it fit. After grabbing it and popping it into place, Lindy and I grinned at one another and decided to keep going.  Piece after piece began to fit. Soon, Lindy yelled, “We’re on a roll, Grammy!” Shortly thereafter, the puzzle lay before us in all its completed splendour.

The trials we all face from time to time in this life can be a lot like my puzzle experience. After dealing with or working on them for an extended period, we want to take a break or, if possible, walk away. We feel as if they will never end. We will never finish with the situation. Often, the further we go, the worse things seem to become, which brings to mind the phrase: it’s always darkest before the dawn.

I often wonder if Job felt this way as he suffered with grief, loss, and health issues year after year. Did Daniel want to give up after being thrown into the lion’s den for obeying God? Then there is Joseph, whose situation seemed to go from bad to worse time and time again. None of these biblical heroes gave up and quit, however. Instead, they chose to persevere, trusting in God amidst their puzzling trials. In the end, they all reaped a harvest of reward, spiritual maturity, and completion that lacked nothing.

Likewise, we, too, must choose, even amidst our tiredness and discouragement, to persevere amidst the puzzles of our lives if we are to become spiritually mature and complete, not lacking in anything. We must set our hearts on praising and rejoicing in God amidst whatever puzzle in our lives we may seek to complete. After all, today might be the day when those last frustrating pieces fall into place, in all their godly splendor and glory.

Don’t give up when the jigsaw puzzle pieces of life don’t seem to fit together. Trust God instead.

Father God, may I keep my eyes focused on You so that I might have the strength and joy to persevere amidst all the puzzling trials of life. In Christ’s name, amen.

Genre: Non-fiction

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