Surprised By Change
(3 Minute Read)
By Heidi Schartner
One of the benefits of delayed mail delivery is receiving a Christmas gift long after the holiday season. The gift was a puzzle that was based off of a submitted photo. It arrived in a cellophane bag with no picture to use as a guide. I should note that the photo submitted had numerous shades of white, browns, and black. '
The family gathered around and we started to slowly figure it out. Although it was a small puzzle, it was really hard to figure out what we were exactly putting together. Until we saw a pink tongue. Ah! It was our dog! Once I saw that tongue and noticed the colours, I actually remembered the photo and we pulled it up on my phone.
It should have been fairly straight forward, except it was anything but. Turns out the puzzle company only used a few shapes when making the puzzle. We all thought this was hilarious and had a great time discovering that there were about six shapes for the entire puzzle. It averaged to about 15 pieces per shape.
Goodness gracious. We put parts together only to take them apart too many times to count. The 11-year-old lost interest but hung around to offer moral support. The rest of us patiently figured out where each piece went. When we were finally able to put that last piece in, we were very excited.
When We’re Surprised by Change
That puzzle is still on my kitchen counter. I love remembering the discovery of it containing only a few shapes and the laughter as we made it work. If only I was that carefree about other areas in my life. I have confessed numerous times that I’m not a fan of change and love to plan ahead. You and I both know though that life is anything but planned.
It is incredible to me how often I am surprised by change.
This idea of ‘going with the flow’ doesn’t come naturally to me. What should come naturally to me is turning to God first before focusing on the change. When I focus on the change I absolutely lose focus on God. These are the things I know, but wowzers - putting them into practice really takes a lot of practice.
The story of the two builders comes to mind. One chose to build on rock, while the other on the sand. Both experienced storms. The one who chose a better foundation wasn’t eclipsed by heartache but, he was able to stand firm because of his foundation. I might not be a fan of change but I know for certain what will always stay the same. Hebrews 13:8 professes “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”
I might not be as carefree as I’d like to be when things don’t go as planned but I know the more I pour into learning about God, the more I’ll be able to withstand the troubles that lie ahead. The same God who was with Moses, and the disciples, is the same God who is with you and I!