When God opened the box of my life
It was jumbled pieces all around
Looked long and hard at the contents
And smiled at what he found!

Painstakingly he took few pieces
Sought to find its place
All the time I sighed and squirmed
Watched the smile still on his face!

I tried so hard to urge him
Fit each piece; impatiently in vain
So I could see the finished work
He smiled at me again!

Then let me be for periods long
Turned away, left me alone
I pleaded with him to no avail
The silence had to be borne!

God was perfecting me I knew
And perhaps I needed to wait
I learnt although he was never early
My God was never late!

As I learnt the virtue of patience
To place few pieces he d return
The puzzle would one day take form
A lesson I struggled to learn!

But so few pieces he placed
My patience he sorely tried
Nowhere as much as I wanted
How with him could I abide?

So trusting in my intelligence
Rather than wait so long
I tried fitting them on my own
Alas they were always wrong!

I'd struggle to place a piece
Assuming I had it all
Worn from trying so hard
At last I'd let it fall!

Each time I tried it on my own
He'd watch me struggle in vain
With nothing but a smile, then
Lovingly return, fit a piece again!

At last with every piece in place
I sit with awe at his feet
Amazed at the beautiful work
My life over, the puzzle complete!

~ Judy Doyle ~