Connecting the Dots

Remember that game? I do! You probably played it too, along with the numbers we connected by drawing lines to the next number and soon it unveiled a picture of something.

“Connect the dots” is a phrase that has popped up today as a metaphor to illustrate an ability to find the “big picture” of life. We never know what’s going to happen next. Twists and turns. Ups and downs. Victories and defeats. Fast-paced and slowed paced times. I’ll bet if you look back over your life, you can see how the dots were connected time and again, and here you are today.

Like, for me and this past year to today. Dot: Covid happens. Ugh! Dot: Big home. Dot: Big maintenance. Dot: Big isolation. Dot: Discomfort comes. Dot: Change is desired. Dot: Apartment home idea. Dot: Decide good idea. Dot: Son joins in — “Mom, isn’t it our turn for you to live near us?” Dot: Mom sells home. Dot: Mom moves to Austin – to an Apartment Home. All the dots were connected.

Here’s the big deal about connecting the dots of our lives. God is the Master at dot-making and connecting them. We think “Why did that happen?” My most quoted scripture is this one that explains God’s way of thinking about the “Whys” in our lives. Romans 8:28 “All things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Think about these dots:

~ Without Judas, the betrayer, there would have never been the death of Jesus on the cross and then be risen from the dead which led to our salvation.

~ Without the pit and prison, Joseph would have never made it to the palace and receive the highest position of the land to spare his family — his father and the brothers that betrayed him.

~ Without the lion, the bear and the giant, David would never have become king.

~ Without my husband’s illness and passing, I would have never had the desire to blog and post daily. Without trusting God in those tough times, I wouldn’t have the passion to want to see others overcome in their tough times.

In your case, it might be that the loss of your job that opened the door for a better job. The pain and suffering you’ve experienced might have led you to encourage others by using your tests as a testimony of God’s grace and faithfulness. Maybe you can think of a crisis or setback that caused you to stretch and pray and ultimately arrive at your present situation that is the one you were hoping for or at least the one that opened the door to the next one? God’s amazing grace.

We don’t have to know it all and understand everything about this race we’re running. Instead of looking to the left or right, we just keep moving forward. We should never fight it if we don’t like it. Our setbacks just might be our greatest comeback of all time. God is connecting all the dots for our good. And that last DOT is where it comes all together, and we arrive at our ultimate destination — to live forever with our Master Dot Maker!