Healthy Conflict in MarriageSample

THE OTHER HALF God can teach you a lot through a motorcycle crash. One of the most important lessons for me was how to heal fully, not just halfway. I’ll never forget my accident. Enjoying a beautiful ride with friends through the Colorado Rockies, we rounded a curve, and my front tire drifted onto the shoulder. Before I even realized I was in trouble, I was tumbling off the bike and into rough gravel. My reward was a dislocated ankle, complete with broken bones and several torn ligaments. At the hospital, I was told it would be almost twelve weeks before I’d be able to put any pressure on my foot. Then the doctor gave me an important warning. He said, “You’re going to feel good enough to walk on it after about six weeks, but don’t do it.” His concern was that the pain of the injury would likely be gone, but the ankle itself would not yet be fully healed. Walking on it too soon would only reinjure the ankle and cause further damage. That’s why his final instruction to me was, “Don’t quit halfway through your recovery.” It’s a valuable life-lesson as well. When a marriage is in need of healing, many people work through conflict until the pain subsides. But this doesn’t mean the deeper issues causing the trouble have been corrected. That’s why it’s important not to quit halfway through your recovery. With the Lord’s help, you need to work at resolving the underlying problems, not just the pain they cause. For a daily dose of encouragement and perspective, check out Jim Daly’s blog, Daly Focus, at JimDalyBlog.com.