I promise I won’t write about jigsaw puzzles every week for months, but here again is another thing I’ve been learning through this favorite pastime recently. I FINALLY finished the picture of coal, and I was (and still am) proud of the skill and patience it took to finish the task. It sat on the table for nearly a week as I hesitated to undo the many hours I spent on its assembly.
What finally brought me to the point of taking it all apart was a desire to do another puzzle. As the next weekend arrived, I wanted to continue the activity I enjoy so much, and the previously completed picture was in the way. As much as I didn’t want to undo all the work I put in, or “waste” all those hours, I needed to make space for something new… so back into the box went the coal. Perhaps it will emerge one day for another assembly when I have loads of time to kill.
As I began to sort the pieces for the new jigsaw puzzle and assemble them, it was lovely to see color after all the gray and dark pieces of the other picture. I thoroughly enjoyed the difficulty of the other puzzle, but the lack of color now stands out in contrast to the lovely rainbows and vibrant colors in this one.
I suppose it’s obvious what has challenged me in this process. Letting go isn’t always easy, especially when you’ve poured hours of work and even your heart into a project or friendship or job or… (fill in the blank.) It can seem like a waste of all the effort and time spent building that thing, but moving that thing, whatever it is, aside is necessary to make room for something else, something so much brighter and more beautiful than you even realize.
As I look back over my life, there are so many things I’ve done, friendships I’ve poured my heart and soul into, projects I’ve spent months or years working on, places I’ve lived and put down roots only to rip them up, etc. It would be easy to see all that time and effort as wasted when I see little evidence of my presence and effort in some of those situations/relationships/places/projects.
And yet, each of those ventures has had a profound impact on me. I’ve learned patience and perseverance and built character. I’ve learned about God and loved people and learned to love myself too. Nothing was wasted.
Just as I have memories of the feeling of accomplishment when I put the last piece of the coal picture in place and I have photos of the finished product, I have memories and photos and growth left from each of those more profound things I’ve poured myself into.
As we enter this season of Advent, of preparing for the arrival of our King, is there anything you need to put away to make room for something new? It may be hard to walk away, but preparing the way for Him and making room for the new thing He wants to bring is so worth it!
