Puzzle

I drove by a church the other day. The marquee stated that Jesus was the answer to life's puzzle. I am not sure that is true. Jesus is the answer, true, but I am not sure that God makes life out to be a puzzle.

 

A puzzle is something that must be solved. With a puzzle we start clueless and must gather facts. We might put a tremendous amount of effort into puzzles (I like them.) I think that there is a problem with viewing life as a puzzle.

 

I meet many people who believe that God has a very specific plan for them. They must guess or conjure up exactly what that plan is and do it…or else. Every piece must be right and fit exactly. Worry accompanies this quest. This yields a very frustrating and tiring faith. This is more of God taunting us to "get it right." What he does say is this: Let not your heart be troubled, believe in me.

 

I believe God has many paths that would suit us. The point is not to figure out God but to accept him. To surrender to him. To love him.  Out of that relationship will come all sorts of possibilities, not just one. And God freely forgives if we find we have taken a less desirable path.

 

Jesus says he is the Way. This implies that life is found in a journey and not unlocking a solution. We follow because our finding a solution is not the point. We are to seek Jesus' Kingdom and everything else will take care of itself. Life is to be lived and not solved.

 

God loves us and that is not a puzzle.