~ written by Connie Dunmyer
The Guinness World Record for the largest jigsaw puzzle ever assembled consisted of 551,232 pieces, measuring 48 feet 8 inches by 76 feet 1 inch. The largest commercial jigsaw puzzles are "What a Wonderful World" by Dowdle at 60,000 pieces and "Travel Around Art" by Grafika at 54,000 pieces.
Those are WAAAAY out of my league. I’m much more of a 1,000-puzzle-piece person.
But consider this. Life is very much like a puzzle. All these pieces, all these connections. We all have puzzle pieces. And we spend a good deal of time and energy trying to find puzzle pieces that will fit our particular need. Quite often, we try to use someone else’s puzzle piece, which I don’t recommend. But there are still other times, when somehow our puzzle intersects with someone else’s puzzle. And that is a good thing.
I had one such connection at a Boston concert in 2012 when God connected my puzzle piece to a stranger’s puzzle piece.
Her name was Wendy. I don’t remember how we got on the subject, but she explained that she had an aneurism behind her eye. And that her doctors actually created a blood clot to surround that aneurism to keep it from bursting. I told her I would keep her in prayer. And I did. I prayed this prayer of praise over her:
1 I will extol the Lord at all times; his praise will always be on my lips.
2 I will glory in the Lord; let the afflicted hear and rejoice.
3 Glorify the Lord with me; let us exalt his name together.
4 I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears.
5 Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame.
Why did the Lord put this woman in my path? Why would He make me privy to her situation since I am clearly not a brain surgeon, or even a medical expert of any sort? I don't even play one on TV. So why me?
I only have one thing to give. And that is Jesus. Jesus was never meant to be held inside like a secret. Jesus is meant to be shared and His power is meant to be used. So when I prayed that this “afflicted woman” would be “delivered”, I believe that we exalted the Name of the Lord together.
Do I understand how we people and all our situations, our puzzle pieces, fit together? Nope. Not a clue. But since I don’t believe in coincidences, I trusted that God put her affliction in my path that I may do the one thing I can do, which is to call upon the Name of the Lord and His power.
You may say – “how do you know it worked?” Oh it worked!
Do I know if she was healed in this life? No. But since God gave me that puzzle piece, I know it worked in whatever way He wanted it to… to His glory and her good.
As I was reminded of this instance and this Psalm, I was struck by this sequence of events and results:
- Praise. First, before anything, I give God praise. Not just when things are good or after I’ve received His answer – but always – all I am, all I have, yesterday, today and tomorrow, in good or bad times. They are completely HIS. Thus, even during crap, I can know, own, and give actual praise to the One Who holds me and takes care of me during and through it.
- Together. I praise God not only to myself, so not merely internally – but to others – that others who are afflicted can hear, rejoice, and be encouraged. It’s good to share. To share our burdens with another, yes, but to share our joys as well. There is a Fellowship of Suffering – with Christ and with each other. Philippians 3:10
- Seek. I need to do the seeking. I have to recognize my dependence, my affliction (or someone else’s)… and come humbly to the Father. And He is always there waiting, watching, and ready to hear, receive and answer. Isaiah 55:6
- God answered me. Not someone else. Me. God has promised He will be found by whoever seeks Him. Jeremiah 29:13-14, Matthew 7:7-8
- Delivered from fear. It’s easy to get bogged down in fear: What will God require of me? Can He use me? What will my future look like? What if I mess up? But God delivers me from those fears... from embarrassment, from pain, from suffering, from loneliness, from hell. 2 Timothy 1:7
- Radiant. He makes me “radiant”. KJV uses the word “lightened”. How could I not be “lightened”? God has removed the burden that was upon me – of my own doing and from others. God lifted it off of me. I am not weighed down any longer. There is no shame. And it is a visible change.
Doing a puzzle is one thing. But in life, I don’t have all the pieces in my possession nor even in my vision. There is only One who has all those puzzle pieces in His possession. And if I don’t come to Jesus, spend time with Him, or listen to the Holy Spirit – I cannot possibly have or get the puzzle piece I need.
I may sit and try every piece I can find. But in my own doing, none will fit just right. If I try to use someone else’s puzzle piece (being something I wasn’t called to be), then the picture gets all confuddled. I need for God to give me each puzzle piece He designed for me, right when I need it.
And when it’s time, He will connect my puzzle to someone else’s puzzle, in His infinite, perfect plan. Don’t be surprised when He hands you a piece you weren’t expecting. It’s ok. Place it down. It will fit not only your puzzle, but someone else’s. And we can all “exalt his name together”!
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© 2026: Connie F. Dunmyer, All Rights Reserved.