Have you ever stared at something for a long time, thinking it would change? You believe that if you concentrate on a problem, you will eventually come up with the solution. But the answer seems to evade you continually. Have you tried putting a puzzle together but held the last few pieces in your hand but couldn’t figure out where they fit?
Life is like a puzzle. When putting a puzzle together, you need a space large enough to begin to put it together, and as it comes together, you start to see the whole picture. There are pieces you can’t determine where they fit, but you keep trying to put them in the exact place where they go. Sometimes, you must walk away from it, clear your head, and then return to it.
You may have heard the story of Lot’s wife in the bible. Lot, his wife, and his family were instructed to flee the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah because God was going to destroy the cities because of the depravity within their walls. The angels of God told Lot that God would show them mercy. It says the angels took Lot, his wife, and two daughters by the hand and led them out of the city. They were instructed not to look back or stay anywhere in the plain, or they would be destroyed. (Genesis 19:15-17 NKJV)
After Lot was clear of the city and harm, God rained down fire and brimstone upon Sodom and Gomorrah and completely decimated the two cities and all that remained there. To this day, nothing grows there where these cities used to be. (Genesis 19:24 NKJV) Our story takes a turn when Lot’s wife turns to look back at the place she once lived and turns into a pillar of salt. (Genesis 19:26 NKJV)
This part of the story has been preached from the pulpit many times. Bible studies have been written on this as well. I have thought about this story many times and the powerful message it gives us.
Have you ever considered what was going through Lot’s wife’s mind when she returned to look back? I think about that sometimes. What was she holding onto? Or what was it she couldn’t let go of? I think it was familiar, and uncertainty was in front of her. That is where trust comes in. God was making a way out, protecting and leading them into something better. But her focus was on what was behind her, and she failed to see the possibilities in front of her. When she turned into a pillar of salt, I wondered if she was frozen in time to always look at what she thought she was losing or frozen to always look at what she would have gained.
Trusting God is not always easy. It is hard. But He wants us to rely on Him. I have learned that God will do whatever it takes to help your unbelief. You and God build an intimate relationship when you spend time with Him. Is there a person in your life that you trust with everything? You tell them your deepest secrets, hopes and dreams, and give them your time. They might know you better than you know yourself. That’s God. He wants to be your friend and walk life with you.
But God wants to be more than just a friend. He wants to be the center of your life. Friends can’t save you, although they may try. But Jesus came to be our Lord and Savior. He came to give us new life, forgive our sins, heal us, restore what we’ve lost, and redeem our mistakes. As we trust Him, He begins to build upon the relationship He is developing with us so we can trust Him with every part of us. As a loving father, He will discipline or correct us. It may be painful but necessary so we can see why we need Him. He does this with His arms wrapped around us the entire time. Everything He does is because He loves us too much to leave us where we are without Him. And that is lost. We are lost without Him.
Life can be confusing at times. We may not always know what we are doing, why we are here or where we are going. Life can be puzzling. But it doesn’t have to be that way. We can find comfort in knowing that what we leave behind only allows us to receive something far greater. We may not always know where the pieces of our lives may fall or where we fit, but God can show us exactly where to place our attention, which is on Him if we let Him.
If you don’t know Jesus as your Lord and Savior, will you decide today to receive His forgiveness and accept His gift of salvation? His desire is that no one would perish; not one. (John 3:16 NKJV) He came and died so your sins would be forgiven and give you a new life. There is no need to look back at what you used to be or what you’ve left behind. Let God guide you, lead you forward in all your ways, and trust Him to fulfill His promises. His ways are not our ways, but He is on time and His ways are always better. His ways are perfect! You might be trying to pick up the pieces of your life, and it may feel like a puzzle at times, but I know firsthand that God has the missing pieces of your life and He knows exactly where the pieces fit.
