I know I promised not to write too many more puzzle related posts, but I have at least one more…

In a recent post, I wrote about taking apart the puzzle that took me months to put together to make room for a new one. Without a picture to know what the end product would look like, I wasn’t prepared for the size and shape of the new venture. It turned out to be bigger than my puzzle board. I got many of the pieces put together into several sections, but had to transfer those sections to the floor to finish the puzzle. I’ll be honest, the final stages of the assembly were a bit uncomfortable, but the outcome was worth the effort and discomfort.

Once again, this got me thinking. Sometimes we start new things (projects, ministries, relationships, etc.) and they become much more than we expect. We may start putting things in place for this new thing we’ve been given in the spaces where we’ve built things before, but as building happens, that space is no longer enough for the new. In order to continue seeing how the full picture develops we have to adapt and move into a new place, likely outside of our comfort zone.

I could have insisted on staying in my comfortable seat at the table, and a large portion of the puzzle would have made it, but the rest would have crumbled without the support of the table. Without a large enough foundation to build on, it just would not have survived. So, I moved to an uncomfortable position and continued building on what I had already accomplished in order to see the completed picture.

Am I sad I took apart the other puzzle when the space it left behind wasn’t big enough for the new one? No. Without letting go of that one, I wouldn’t have started the new project. Much of the groundwork for the new project was built in that space, and once the vision outgrew the space, it was time to move, get uncomfortable, and expand the capacity for building. Now that space is once again empty and awaiting the next new picture that will come together there.

Do you have anything you’re building right now that is growing faster or more than expected? Are you willing and prepared to move out of what you’re comfortable with to see how the vision develops when given the space to grow?

As Advent continues, during this time of preparation for Christ’s arrival, let’s keep growing and letting God stretch our capacity to build new things with Him.

I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.