Many years ago, fresh in the U.S. and wide-eyed with determination, I decided to work as a cabbie from the airport.
I studied.
I passed the exam.
I got my license.
I even bought a Garmin GPS...the offline kind that came preloaded with routes but had zero clue what was happening now on the roads.
My first ride pulled up, I punched in the address, and off I went.
Then I hit the blockade.
A major bridge on the route had collapsed and was being rebuilt.
The GPS didn’t know.
It kept rerouting me back to the bridge...like a stubborn voice that refused to admit reality had changed.
My passenger was getting frustrated.
I was lost. Literally.
I drove around in circles.
Then I saw a “Detour” sign.
I ignored the GPS, followed the detour, and eventually...after several “Recalculating…” moments, my GPS caught up.
It adjusted to the new path and guided me to the destination.
That ride taught me something I didn’t realize I would need years later in marriage:
Sometimes, life...or love, throws a bridge collapse your way.
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When the Blueprint Breaks
We all come into marriage with some form of GPS.
The plan.
The path.
The “this is how we’ll do/handle it” mindset.
We read books.
Go to counseling.
Listen to sermons.
Make promises.
We expect smooth highways and scenic views.
But what happens when the "bridge" collapses?
What happens when your plan no longer works for your present?
What if your spouse changes?
What if you change?
What if what should work doesn’t work anymore?
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Some couples get stuck in circles.
Looping around outdated instructions.
Fighting over what was supposed to happen.
Insisting on going back to a route that no longer exists.
But healing, wisdom, and progress often come when we humbly say:
“Let’s take the detour.”
Let the old plan go.
Pause the rerouting voice in your head.
Follow the signs that lead to now.
Even God Redirects
In Acts 16, Paul and his companions tried to enter Bithynia, but “the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to.”
So what did they do?
They recalculated.
They took the Macedonian detour.
It wasn’t the original plan...but it was God’s plan.
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Marriage Needs Detour Wisdom
Sometimes, you won’t love the new path.
It might feel longer.
Harder.
Less scenic.
But the goal isn’t comfort.
It’s connection.
It’s peace.
It’s getting to the destination...together.
So if you find yourself in a season where your marriage plan is no longer working, don’t panic.
Detour doesn’t mean denial of purpose.
Detour doesn’t mean you failed.
It just means: there’s still a way forward.
Let go of the rigid plan.
Take your spouse’s hand.
And trust the God who sees the whole map.
He knows how to reroute you...even from here.
👣 Be Better. 💛 Love Better. 🙌🏾 Do Better. 💍 Marriage Works.
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