Assembly Required

There I sat.  On the floor of my office surrounded by the unassembled parts of a wooden lateral file.  Parts A through P sorted and waiting for their turn amid 15 bags of hardware and a dozen slides, handles, and supports.  Panicking, I asked myself, “what have I done?”  For a moment, I considered repacking it and sending it back.  The only problem with that strategy was that in the battle to unpack the cabinet, the box won.  There may have been as many pieces of torn box as there were hardware bags.    Not to mention the cut finger bleeding onto the white cabinet.  So, there I was.  One woman against the furniture world. 

I only had one option.  Open to page 1 of the 32-page (not kidding) assembly guide and get to work.  One step at a time.  One screw at a time.  Straddled on that office floor – balancing part A against one leg while I attached part B.  For three and a half hours.  One woman.  One filing cabinet.  Millions of turns of a screwdriver (well it felt like a million, humor me.). Following the instructions in the hopes the result would be worth it.

I’m a lot like that cabinet.  A bunch of pieces scattered all over the place.  Looking for something to hold me together so that I can be useful.  Meaningful.  Purposeful.  Some days I feel like the broken-down box that once kept things in place.  Wanting to hold in the loose pieces of my life strewn with a randomness that leaves me lost.  Wondering.  Waiting.

Until I remember that I come with an instruction manual – the Bible.  God’s step-by-step guide to the life He has planned for me.  Encouragement.  Hope.  Instruction.  Support.  Love.  Page after page of lessons to be learned; success stories to lean into.  Heroes of faith to emulate.  Each encounter bringing a new piece to the life He is building.  My life.  

And did you get that.  A life HE is building.  I don’t need to figure things out on my own.  I’m not alone in an office surrounded by parts and pieces.  Rather, I have the Master Carpenter.  The one who created me.  The one whose plan waits only for me to place myself into His hands.  To trust Him to bring the fragments together to create a life that honors Him.  That glorifies Him.  That has a purpose.  That has meaning.  

Jeremiah 29:11 is a well-known verse to many of us.  “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

The first use of plans in this verse is the Hebrew ḥāšab – one of its main meanings is purpose.  Plans in the second half (plans to prosper you) is the Hebrew maḥᵃšābâ which includes the meanings design and plot.  Prosper is the Hebrew šālôm – peace, safety, prosperity, well-being; wholeness. 

This verse isn’t some lottery-winning, get everything we want promise.  It is far more valuable.  It is God’s promise that He designed you (intentionally) with a purpose that will bring you peace and wholeness.  And in that peace and wholeness you will find the joy that can only come from knowing you are living the life God breathed into you.  You are becoming the unique and beautiful creation He envisioned.  Useless pieces until assembled by the hand of a master and a Father.  

I did get the lateral file assembled.  My back hurt.  My legs ached.  And my wrist was sore from those millions of turns of the screwdriver.  (seriously!).  And it now sits in my office serving its purpose.  And when I look at it, I am proud of what I accomplished.  

I only hope my Father in Heaven can say the same of me.

This week’s accompanying prayer can be found at: https://simplyjoy.online/prayers/fashion-me/