A little over a year ago my children gave me a 3D wood puzzle for one of those holidays. It was a projector-camera that once completed would actually work, showing some short film! They knew that I liked putting things together. I was excited about the new challenge and fairly confident that I would get it done because I’m smart. LOL! Besides, I had just seen my niece put the exact same puzzle together a few days earlier. And if she could do it, then I knew that I could. As a matter of fact, I already envisioned myself with a finished project deciding which puzzle I would do next.
Eventually, I started! It took me longer than I anticipated, but I was making great progress. A million tiny pieces later, I was ready to celebrate. The camera looked great. As the family walked by they made congratulatory comments. Now to see how it works….I starting turning the knob to see the film, but NOTHING! There was no little Charlie Chaplin looking man dancing on the wall! Though the camera looked great, it didn’t work!
I sighed in disappointment, but as the great problem solver that I am, I determined that this would not defeat me! As best as I could tell, I had put the little light firing mechanism in backwards, so I started carefully removing pieces to get to the place that needed to be fixed. The problem was that as I removed one piece, another fell because all of those tiny million pieces were connected with exactivity – no glue, no nails, no tape, but connected with one piece built upon the other. Eventually, I admitted defeat. I was quite disappointed in myself and for months I passed the pile of wood pieces on the table where I had been working. Then about a year later, I threw the entire thing away and ordered another puzzle which I finished a couple of weeks ago. SUCCESS!!
This time I was a lot more effective and efficient at my building. I paid extra attention to every little piece as I knew that somehow, even if I didn’t know how, that little piece could keep my camera from working properly when I finished. I wasn’t just interested in everyone congratulating me on it looking good, but for me, victory was in finishing well. And I did! I was quicker this time! There were still pieces that were hard to stay in place, but I refused to skip corners. This time as I turned the knob, the little man danced on the wall!
Sometimes there are places in our lives where we just need to start over. Do you have those places? Maybe a relationship with a parent or child, a marriage, a career, a church, or a class? Either we missed some crucial foundational piece or we weren’t as intentional as we should have been in building well. So the thing that we’ve built may look good on the outside, but it doesn’t function as it should. The little man isn’t dancing on the wall! It takes work to swallow our pride, admit defeat, and try again. The good news is that the Lord gives us second chances.
While we need to sometimes do this in our individual lives, I suspect that our nation may also need to do the same. Since most of our systems are built on an incomplete foundation and built one piece on top of the other, it’s time for us to swallow our pride, admit defeat, and rebuild. And this time let’s build based on what God requires.
“He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” Micah 6:8 ESV
That’s IT! I’ve started to cry as I read this … and I now know why – -You’ve connected a “piece” for me. Thank you. (Email or text coming, Love!) In the meantime, siting with the Lord and the fire. Bless you. (And – that’s INCREDIBLE!)
Thanks Fuller. May the Lord help us all to connect missing or misaligned pieces.
Ah! How excellently expressed! And the notion of being intentional so evidently clarified. Starting over is definitely to be considered!The key to success? Intentionality! Let’s do this.
And let some of us take the time to rebuild the foundational elements in the history of the chief protagonists of the BLM phenomenon. This time we will succeed and watch the big man stride across the stage of this nation!
Thanks Dr. Pat for you passionate reply. I agree that we must be intentional to build on the heart and principles of God. Not our will, but His.
This really blessed me! Starting over is sometimes hard, but it is so necessary! I was saying to myself, don’t throw the old one away, maybe you can start again with the old one, making adjustments. But really…starting over with the new is less stressful and frustrating. If it’s broke, start again! I loved this!
Yes Ida, I agree that starting over is HARD, but sometimes necessary. I think that places for starting over are when we have built on a wrong foundation. Even Christ makes us “new” creations when we accept Him. And then we build our lives on that new state.
Wonderful analogy and wisdom. Thank you Tara for sharing your heart.
Thanks Jodi.
This was a great gift. Building something to enable you to see, using each intricate piece one at a time to end up with a marvel(the vision/God’s plan). It reminds me of the scripture letting us know we are HIS workmanship and His plans for us are good. When things are not built right, Our Father,the Master craftsman has to dismantle and rebuild. I thank God for you, you are blessed to be a blessing.
Thanks Keisha. It will take God to help us both dismantle and rebuild!
Beautiful analogy! This makes me reflect on the areas that need to be rebuilt in my life. Thank you for sharing.
Yes Jamilla, we can all find areas that we need to let the Lord rebuild. The good news is that He will do it!
Hello there. You are very fortunate that it only took a couple of tries. I on the other hand had to try many times before I figured out that I was building on the wrong foundation. Thanks for sharing.
Well Pops, it only took two tries with the puzzle, but there are places in my life where the Lord is still transforming and building new!
The finished product is beautiful! And so is the lesson learned from this experience/process. Yes, we must always TRUST THE PROCESS that God sets before us. In his name you are victorious!
Thanks Tonja. I agree that we must trust the process even when it feels difficult. And yes, we are victorious!
Tara, this is powerful in so many ways. Thank you!
Thanks Debbie. I appreciate your feedback. I am hopeful that it helps us all to think a little and seek God’s plan more than our own.
Great post! You’ve given me the courage to embrace those areas where I truly need to just start over! With true surrenderance to the Holy Spirit, He will give me the strength and victory! Love you, sis!
Yeap LaVett, sometimes we all need to just start over!
There are definitely times when we all “just need to start over.” Just when I think I’m all cool…Yes! I needed to read this just at this moment. You so beautifully expressed the heart of the Father and walking in grace. Twitter link, perhaps?
Thanks Tracy! The Lord does always give us a timely word if we are listening. Glad this was timely for you! Well, I haven’t started tweeting yet but I’m open. Taking one step at a time! Pray for me!