Puzzled

Yes, around here today we're listening to a 6 year old girl sing that old favorite Christmas carol, "Mark the herald angel sings . . . ."  After telling her the actual lyrics and their meanings, she gave a thoughtful look, then pronounced, "No.  It doesn't make sense that way.  Mark the herald angel sings . .  ."  as she skipped off.

How much that reminds me of myself when I think that I've got something all figured out.  I've run through all the details in my head and made a case for it working out just the way I'm imagining.  Then if something comes up that doesn't quite fit . . . well, I'll admit my first instinct is often to mentally argue it, since I've got it all neatly wrapped up with a bow.

Lord, help me to remember that You have all the pieces to this puzzle, many of which I haven't even seen yet.  And while the parts I can see may look like one thing now, chances are that by the time more of the pieces are revealed, it will become apparent that it's actually part of something much bigger.  Help me not to try to force pieces together that don't belong together, but wait for the matching piece to be turned over.  And open my eyes to the times when I've misunderstood what You have been saying instead of blindly clinging to the way I hear Your words in my own head.