You See Disjointed Pieces But He Sees a Beautiful Picture—that’s often how ministry feels. It can seem like a giant jigsaw puzzle scattered across the table, with pieces everywhere—some fitting together, others feeling like they belong to a different puzzle entirely. As a pastor or church leader, you may look at the disjointed parts of your ministry and wonder, "How is this ever going to come together?"

The Chaos of the Pieces

Every pastor has been there—trying to bring vision, organize people, and align ministries, only to feel like nothing fits. Volunteers step away, plans fall apart, financial pressures mount, and it seems like the whole thing is just a scattered mess. It’s easy to get discouraged when all you see is a pile of unconnected pieces.

However, the problem isn't the puzzle—it’s our perspective. We see only what’s in front of us, but God sees the finished work. He already knows how each piece fits together in ways we cannot comprehend.

The Master’s Plan

Romans 8:28 reminds us: "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose."

Every piece—every challenge, every person, every delay—is part of something much bigger. When we trust that God is assembling the pieces, we can release the anxiety of trying to force them together ourselves. He knows where each piece belongs.

Take Joseph, for example. If he had judged his life by the pieces alone—betrayed by his brothers, thrown into a pit, sold into slavery, falsely accused, and imprisoned—it would have seemed like nothing but a mess. But God saw the completed picture: Joseph ruling in Egypt, saving nations from famine, and reconciling with his family. What seemed broken was actually coming together for a divine purpose.

Your Puzzle is Unique

One of the biggest mistakes church leaders can make is comparing their ministry to others. It’s easy to look at a thriving church and think, If we just do what they’re doing, we’ll experience the same success. But this is rarely the case.

Each church has its own unique puzzle—its own set of pieces that will not fit the same way as another church’s. The dynamics at play are vastly different:

• The age of the church
• The demographics of the congregation
• The size of the community
• The vision God has given for that specific church

Trying to force someone else’s puzzle pieces into your own ministry can lead to frustration and failure. What works in one church may not work in another because the framework, culture, and spiritual journey of each congregation are different.

Ministry Conferences: Inspiration or Comparison?

Ministry conferences are valuable because they inspire and encourage church leadership. However, they can also become a breeding ground for jealousy and feelings of inadequacy.

Many speakers at these events share their stories of success—how their church grew, how programs flourished, and how God did amazing things. While these testimonies are exciting and uplifting, they can also be discouraging when pastors return home and try to implement the same strategies, only to see little or no growth.

Why? Because their puzzle pieces don’t fit yours.

Instead of trying to duplicate another church’s success, seek God for His vision for your congregation. Ask Him how He wants to arrange your pieces, rather than trying to copy someone else’s masterpiece.

Trusting the Process

1. Embrace the Chaos with Faith – Ministry will always have its challenges. Instead of seeing disorder, choose to trust that God is working behind the scenes.
2. Let God Place the Pieces – Sometimes, we try to force things to fit when they aren't meant to. Be sensitive to His guidance instead of rushing ahead.
3. Step Back and See the Bigger Picture – In moments of frustration, remind yourself that God's masterpiece is unfolding. What feels like a setback today may be positioning you for something greater tomorrow.
4. Avoid the Comparison Trap – Recognize that God has called you to lead a unique congregation. Your mission, your people, and your journey are different from anyone else’s.
5. Stay Patient and Trust the Picture Will Come Together – Just as a puzzle takes time to complete, so does God's work in our lives and ministries. Philippians 1:6 says, "Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ."

Final Thoughts

The next time you feel overwhelmed by the chaos of ministry, picture that scattered puzzle. Instead of focusing on the disjointed pieces, shift your perspective to the Master’s hands moving the pieces around on the table while He finds each perfect piece and places it exactly where it belongs, forming a masterpiece.

God is putting everything together according to His perfect plan. Even when you don’t see it, He is working. “Behold, I go forward, but he is not there; and backward, but I cannot perceive him: On the left hand, where he doth work, but I cannot behold him: he hideth himself on the right hand, that I cannot see him: But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.” (Job 23:8-10, KJV)

Even in the hidden places, He is arranging things for your good. As Isaiah 45:3 declares, "And I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that thou mayest know that I, the Lord, which call thee by thy name, am the God of Israel." There are treasures being formed in the unseen—growth, miracles, and blessings that are beyond our immediate understanding.

And remember—your puzzle is not meant to look like anyone else’s. Let God complete the masterpiece He has designed just for you and your church.

About Pastor James Smith

Pastor James Smith, Valparaiso, Indiana – Founder of PreachIt.org, OpportunityHope.org, and PastoralHelps.com.

He equips pastors worldwide with sermons, leadership tools, and encouragement, while also caring for orphaned and at-risk children in West Bengal, India through OpportunityHope. Beyond the orphanage and school, OpportunityHope provides clean water wells, livestock, and other humanitarian helps to families and villages in need. Additional books, leadership training, and mentoring resources are available through PastoralHelps.com.