Daily Devotional for September 27, 2020
Life’s Puzzles
“Mom?” Maddison’s eyes brimmed with unshed tears as she colored in a small section of her puzzle. “Why won’t Aunt Cassie speak to us? I sent her an email telling her we miss her. I thought she might miss us too, but she still hasn’t gotten in touch.”
Rain was thrashing against the windows as Mom and Maddison worked together on a color-by-number puzzle. Maddison loved puzzles, and she and Mom were matching the numbers to the color code to reveal a hidden picture.
“On Sunday, Pastor Mathews reminded us to forgive one another and to make amends if we’ve wronged anyone,” Maddison continued. “So why won’t Aunt Cassie forgive us if we’ve done something to upset her? It’s not fair. Even God isn’t helping. I’ve been praying and asking Him for guidance for the last few weeks, but it’s no use.”
“You know,” Mom replied, putting down her crayon, “we might think God isn’t helping, but He always listens. We can’t force people to behave in a certain way, but we can always bring our problems to Jesus. But that doesn’t mean He’ll answer our prayers exactly how we want Him to. He sees the bigger picture of Aunt Cassie’s life, and only He can make her change. We just need to keep praying for her and reminding her we love her until she is ready to be with us again.”
Maddison sniffed. “I wish she was ready to be with us now.”
“Me too,” said Mom. “It’s a difficult time for all of us, but remember that Jesus is always by our side, providing support and comfort. He understands what we’re going through.”
“You’re right,” Maddison said. “I need to place everything in His hands.”
They both continued concentrating on their puzzle until finally it was completed.
“Look, Mom. This picture has revealed a brave lion. Let’s put it on the fridge so we’ll remember to keep pressing on.”
Mom hugged Maddison. “Yes, one day we’ll be able to see our current problems within the bigger picture and how God was able to use them for good. But for now, let’s trust Him to take care of Aunt Cassie and to help us continue showing her our love.” • Cindy Lee
How about you?
Are you struggling with a family relationship? Jesus knows how you feel. There were times during His ministry on earth when His own family members and even His own disciples let Him down. Bring your family problems to Him in prayer and trust Him to help you with them. You can’t make people change, but Jesus can, and He will help you show them His love and forgiveness.
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