Ed Jones
My wife and I are fond of doing jigsaw puzzles. There’s a certain feeling of accomplishment, a sort of instant gratification when one of us finds a long-sought-after piece. There is also an anticlimactic let down of sorts when we complete a puzzle. We smile, sometimes sigh and then carefully dismember the puzzle and place it back in the box.
Our lives are sort of like a jigsaw puzzle. We search for that one piece that will give us satisfaction and a sense of accomplishment. Once found, we gleefully join that piece to the others only to begin the search again. It seems to be a never-ending quest for fulfillment. And, when the inevitable occurs and we retire from what brought about those feelings, we seek new activities to fill the void.
I first sensed this when I retired from the US Air Force. I now had new challenges and puzzle pieces to conquer. I went from career to career seeking what would be most rewarding. It was only after I went into full-time ministry, that I came to understand that my loftiest goals had already been achieved and that the final piece to the puzzle had been found.
Rather than feeling the inevitable malaise that follows goal attainment, I found a joy and peace that transcended anything I had ever known before. Where, you might ask, did I find what I had sought for so long and so hard? It can be found in the Gospel of John chapter 14 verse 27, where Christ promises, “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.”
There it was! The final piece to the puzzle to life that I had long sought.
Now, you might think that my search had ended. On the contrary, it only begun. However, the search I then undertook and now continue comes with a guarantee of discovery without the accompanying melancholy that came with each new piece. Happily, I now move from joy to joy, from blessing to promised blessing. Do I still experience trials? Of course! But, now they are accompanied by a faith and trust in Him who is able to transform turmoil into calm and certain assurance of peace.
We still enjoy doing puzzles together. It frees us from the mindless time spent on social media and television and offers us an opportunity to converse and enjoy each other’s company. And, we still get excited when we find a piece. But, the puzzle is merely that, a game, if you will. It is no longer a metaphor for our lives.
Ed Jones pastors Fellowship at the Ranch Church at Robson Ranch. This nondenominational church meets at the Robson Clubhouse on Sunday mornings at 10:30 a.m. For information, visit Fellowship’s website www.fellowshipattheranchchurch.com.