From as far back as I can remember, I have loved puzzles, inspired by my mom who cultivated that interest from a young age. I have many memories of putting together puzzles on my own and collaboratively with others throughout different seasons of life. The older I get, the more insight I gain about the process of life in general through puzzles.

The Inclination & The Invitation

When putting together puzzles, one common experience is the evident pull to impatience - the desire to want to know how it all fits together. Right now. Other times it is the desire to have a continuous flow of progression.

Instead, there is an invitation to embrace the process - to savor the moments when it is slow, to savor the moments when it is fast-paced, to savor the moments when it is stalled. Puzzles are an opportunity to see value in how the different pieces come together, however they come together.

Multiple Approaches

There are multiple approaches to putting together a puzzle, rather than one right way. Unlike putting together a Lego set with step by step instructions, puzzles spill out onto the table with so many possibilities. My go to strategy to get started is the way my mom showed me - start with the border. Over time, I have come to realize that this provides a sense of structure. Once in place, the border gives a sense of shape and boundaries for which the rest of the puzzle will be contained.

Adjusting the Strategy

Along the way, we can adjust the strategy, depending on what makes sense in the moment in light of what is already in place and what remains. We look for what seems to be the natural next step but then pivot when progress is stalled. Sometimes I have different pieces laid out that seem to work for a section but then realize I need to clear the space and have less clutter in order to progress. My most recently implemented strategy is having stackable puzzle sorting trays in order to categorize without taking up so much space.

Variations in Pace

The more that is complete, the faster it seems to go. This applies for both the puzzle as a whole, as well as individual sections. Certain aspects start to come together - click, click, click - the pace quickens. Then, we step back to consider a new area or component to work on, which sometimes results in the pace slowing down until once again it reaches the rapid click, click, click.

Other times, the pace is influenced by the bigger picture of life and how many different commitments and responsibilities are occurring in the moment, contributing to how much time can be dedicated to making progress with the puzzle. In a sense, the pace of the puzzle can be inversely impacted by the pace of life - unless it rises to the top as a priority amidst fast-pace seasons as a method of self-care.

The Pieces that Stump Us

Along the way there are those pieces that we hold in our hands and don't understand how they fit. We keep looking at them and considering what they might be a part of and where they might go. They don't seem to belong anywhere - until finally, the surrounding pieces are in place and it is obvious.

Other times, we are certain a piece will fit in a location, but it does not. We might keep trying to make it fit again and again because we have forgotten that we already tried, we are certain that it seems like it should, or we simply want it to, but no matter how many times we try, it is not the correct placement.

Implications in Life

In life there are so many different scenarios in which we are invited to enjoy the journey and not just march forward to the destination, always focusing too much on getting there. Patience and trust in the process are fundamental when navigating different experiences. Sometimes we are called to move forward in confusion and try to piece together trends over time as the overall context becomes more clear.

Realizing that there is more than one way to navigate our journeys alleviates the pressure to get it right. That doesn't mean we won't crave for some sense of structure and assurance though. We are called to discern for the moment, applying strategies that make sense for what is in front of us and adjusting as needed. In some seasons, we are called to let go repeatedly as certain pieces do not come together as we had anticipated. In other moments, the momentum builds, and it is exhilarating. Sometimes life's circumstances makes it prudent to pause our plans, shifting goals to a maybe someday list.

As the journey unfolds, we won't always understand; it won't always make sense. Yet, we can faithfully continue to step forward. Upon the foundation of the assurance in God's goodness, we can be certain that he is working all things for our good (Romans 8:28). We don't have to understand; we only need to trust.

Prayer

Lead me, Lord. Help me to be patient and trust in the process. Remind me that you will reveal the next steps to me when and how I should know. Support me in being able to embrace the rhythms and routines of life - the times when everything seems to be clicking in place, alongside the phases when I am stumped and need to slow down and wait. Among it all, help me to be grateful for the abundant blessings in my life.