rough stuff

 

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The other day I saw a sign like this while I was driving.  The surface I was currently on was fine.  No problems or potholes;  just plain, even pavement, the way a road is supposed to be.  If it weren’t for the sign, I’d have had no idea that the consistently smooth surface touching my treads was about to quickly end. 

The first thought that hit me was, “Wow, wouldn’t it be nice if we could have a sign like this appear in life when things are about to turn on a dime?”  How handy would that be?  Wouldn’t it be helpful if we could at least get a decent warning on a bright yellow piece of metal when things were about to go south?

But we don’t.   The rough stuff comes when we least expect it; like when things are going fine, or the day is really great.  Then out of left field…comes the pain.  The heartache.  The unexpected twist of a plan.

With no sign to warn us of trouble.

Jesus does tell us there will be trouble.  It’s an unavoidable circumstance in this thing called life.  Sometimes I cause my own trouble, sometimes it happens to me.  But however it gets here, get here it does and then it’s mine to deal with.  Mine and God’s.  This is why my relationship with Him is so important.  Without Him, a rough road is just that;  uncomfortable parts of my journey that I must simply endure until the pavement gets smooth again. 

But with Him, the rough road becomes a classroom.  He can use the broken pavement, the potholes, the uneven surfaces to teach me things that I need to learn, if I’ll allow myself to grow and be changed instead of just complaining that this is making for a very difficult ride.

Then one day…….I’ll find the surface under my feet sure and solid again.  He knows I’m ready to continue on.  

And I breathe deep.

Construction’s over.

For now.