A rough patch

As Mr Popper (played by Jim Carrey) and His estranged wife (they had been separated for some time) skated around an ice rink, while on a date, she asked, “what happened to us?”

His answer, “I think we just hit a rough patch.”

Yesterday, while my husband and I took a motorcycle ride around Branson, we hit a rough patch.

A car was stopped ahead of us and before  we knew it we were slid to the side and swerving back and forth…

All I could do was hold on to Dust  and Cry out to Jesus.

I watched the power of that Name go into operation before my eyes and the Angels God promised to take charge over us, seemingly held the bike from side to side so that we never laid it over or hit the car ahead.

It seemed like it went on forever.

But as I’m replaying the event in my mind this morning, I’m seeing what God has done in the rough patches of our life and marriage as well.

“How did we get here?” Like Popper’s wife, that’s a question I had been asking at times as well.

But Just like God held us together  yesterday, when it seemed like we were going to crash,

I’ve watched him hold us over and over when life has thrown us an unexpected bump in the road.

No one sets out on a journey to wreck a motorcycle,

or a marriage.

An accident occurs when one or both parties involved aren’t paying attention.

In the case of marriage, our attention must first and foremost be on God.

I found yesterday, that as much as I trust my husband’s driving skills, we needed a divine intervention.

Had I not known what to do or who to call on, I don’t t believe the outcome would have been the same.

God has been speaking to my heart for days with the simple Word of,

“you do what you can and I will do what you CAN’T.”

I couldn’t do anything but Cry out and Hold on as a back seat driver. I had little to no control, it seemed-

sometimes we feel like that in marriage.

Especially when we think it’s always the other person’s fault.  But as I rehearse yesterday, I see what God can do when you and I do what we can.

God never put us in charge of changing our spouse.

He gave us the responsibility of changing ourselves to conform to Jesus.

That, my Friend, isn’t an easy ride.

At least not in the flesh.

That’s when we cry out to Jesus and hang on.

Hang on to our mouth…

Hang on to our opinions.

Hang on to our sarcasm.

Hang on to the slander.

Those things cause accidents.

1 Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof. Proverbs 18:21

I would love to say I have a perfect “driving record” where this is concerned, but I don’t.

I can preach it because I’ve lived it.

A lot of my rough patches were brought on by my big mouth!

And sometimes it takes a shaking to realize that an accident like that could be fatal.

So, I want to encourage you this morning if you’ve hit a rough patch…

in your marriage,

at your job,

in your family,

with your finances…..

Hold on, (refrain your tongue from death)

Cry out to Jesus, and watch His saving power bear you up and keep your foot from stumbling.

Rough patches don’t have to determine your destination.

Don’t allow them to be the end.

Allow them to be your testimony!