Chapters
Have you ever opened a new puzzle box, filled with hundreds of small pieces, and felt a bit of excitement and a bit overwhelmed at the same time? Or maybe it was a new book that you were excited for, but it was not going as you thought it would. Life often feels the same way. Sometimes it feels like a smooth, easy read, and other times, life throws us unexpected plot twists that cause us to feel as if we are wrestling with a chapter so tough it feels like a ton of bricks. We struggle to connect any pieces and wonder what is going to happen next.
Just like a complex puzzle unfolds in stages, our lives are a collection of chapters. Some are bright and public, showcasing our successes for the world to see. But then there are those deeper, more challenging chapters we prefer to keep hidden, even from our closest friends and family.
Ironically, it's often in those hidden, challenging chapters, the ones that feel like you are staring at a thousand tiny pieces with no clear edge, that our greatest growth happens. These are the moments where we lean into resilience and faith, more than we ever thought possible. So why should we hide from those times? What if God placed those times in our lives to mold us into who we are today?
These times are when God places the intricate seasons before us to mold us into exactly who we are today. Isiah 64:8 reminds us, “But now, O Lord, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand.”
You see, when we surrender our hardheadedness, selfishness, and human self to God, He will mold us, and that is when the unexpected breakthroughs happen. We can then fully stretch ourselves like never before, reach our full potential, and overcome our greatest obstacles in these moments, much like solving an impossible section of a puzzle.
What I love most about God is that He has a plan for each one of us. He is a listener and one who will always be there, through anything possible. He holds the box with the picture of what our life should look like, but are we willing to go through the different chapters to see our full picture?
I was reminded of this over the past year, time and time again. I started chapter 34 of my life by saying, “God, I have no idea what this next year holds, but when you nudge me, I will try my hardest to obey.”
He provided through the ups and downs. He put me into places I did not think were possible right now and opened doors where he told me it was time to go. Now, into the next chapter, year 35 of this novel called life. What does this year hold? I do not know, but even more so, it will be about letting God be in charge and not me. When he nudges me, it's time to go. I know it will be a piece of the puzzle that is needed to help me grow into the person I am supposed to be. I fully understand that it may be him telling me to stop now and step back, but it may be a time when I need to step well outside my comfort zone. Nonetheless, He will be beside me every step of the way.
Why puzzles and chapters when discussing life? Life is just a giant jigsaw puzzle with pieces fitting together. Some fit together perfectly while others take time to figure out. Unfortunately, we do not have a box to help us figure out the final image. Chapters seem a bit nostalgic, and you never know when the last chapter will be.
Plenty of questions may come to your mind, which is okay, but as I get older, the more I realize, the dash between your birthdate and date of death is much more than just a dash. That small dash is what has happened in one's life. That small dash is all of the chapters and pieces that make up your story. This is what your children, grandchildren, and friends tell the world about you. That dash between the dates is what your legacy is.
I was reminded of this over the past month more than once. (Of course, God was stirring something in me again) The first was walking in a cemetery in Tennessee. A sunny day to visit Megan’s Grandpa’s grave site made me walk past one that was of a military veteran who died in his 30s. What happened to that individual, not sure as the obituary was not describing the cause of death, but after multiple deployments, it is people like him who sacrificed so I can be free. Another incident was a picture from Arlington National Cemetery from when Megan and I visited several years ago. I had been there a few times, but this time, we walked along the rows of graves. We then visited someone we knew. Again, a moment of reflection, but this was from a picture a few years later that brought back the emotions of that day when we stood among the thousands of grave sites. Each had so many chapters in their life, legacies left behind, and lives changed forever.
What chapter are you on in your life? It may be chapter 55 of your life, but a subchapter being in chapter 3 of being alcohol free, chapter 10 of being drug free, or maybe chapter 1 of being there for your children and spouse like you were not before, or day one of being free from an abusive relationship. God knows your chapters; He knows how the pieces will fit together, and do not be shocked when he uses you for something greater.
That something greater may take time to develop, or a season of calm before the new chapter begins. It is okay. Let God work inside you and help move you as you need to. When He says pause, it is time to pause, but when He says go, then it is time to go! We have done just that with Puzzled over the past few months, along with other items within our lives, but the time to go is now.
I may be starting chapter 35 of life, and we are on a subchapter of 3 with Puzzled, but God is stirring some major things in my heart, Megan’s heart, and I am sure yours as well. It is time to not let the world or fear dictate your chapters, but rather you dictate what is written. What is the line between your birth date and date of death going to show? What is your legacy going to be? Go with faith and let God walk beside you. The time is now, let's do this! Let this be the best chapter yet.
XOXO
Mark