We all have them. The friend who betrayed you. The parent who wounded you. The partner who drained you. The boss who belittled you. The person who made you question your worth.
Toxic people.
Our culture tells us to cut them out, go no contact, protect our peace. And often, that’s the healthiest decision. But what if, some of these painful encounters were part of a larger plan? Unfortunately, toxic and I’ll say damaged people because people don’t get that way unless they’ve been wronged. But some are very good at hiding it.
At God’s Puzzle, we look at the moments that don’t make sense until they do. And sometimes, the “villains” in our stories were the very people who forced us to grow, leave, or wake up. What if their damage cracked open something in us that needed healing?
Lessons in Pain
The toxic friend taught you boundaries.
The critical parent made you fiercely independent.
The manipulative partner broke you — but also broke your addiction to needing approval.
We’re not glorifying trauma. We’re saying that God can use anything — even dysfunction — to guide you somewhere better. That doesn’t excuse bad behavior, but it reframes your healing: You were not just hurt. You were redirected.
The Role They Played
In a jigsaw puzzle, not every piece is beautiful. Some are jagged. Some seem to belong nowhere. But take one away, and the picture isn’t whole.
What if that broken person was placed in your life not to stay, but to shape?
What if you were meant to experience their chaos so you could finally choose peace?
What if your heartbreak was the only road to your calling?
A Higher View
From the ground, it looks like a mess. From above — from God’s view — it’s a masterpiece in progress. Every person, every scar, every goodbye is a brushstroke.
Forgiveness doesn’t mean forgetting. But it can mean reclaiming meaning from the pain. It means recognizing that even damaged people are part of your divine architecture.
And sometimes, the most broken ones show us where our cracks are — so God can begin to fill them.
