Scars.... inside and out

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. II Corinthians 1:3-5


I have a few scars from my clumsy childhood.  And unfortunately a strained adulthood.
Besides these physical scars from my past, I also have emotional wounds that run deep. They are painful memories.  It’s easy to cover our physical scars and hide them from the outside world. We can buy over-the-counter gel that is supposed to make our flesh scars disappear; and plastic surgery can remove the more dire scars. But what do we do with our emotional scars?

After years of pretending they didn’t exist and making a concerted effort to conceal them from others, I came across this verse today.  Wow... got to thinking! The bumps and bruises I’ve experienced have become part of who I am. However ugly or painful they may be, they can be redeemed and even used by God. He doesn’t want me to ignore the scorched places in my heart and past. Nor does He want me to run from them. He wants to comfort me in the midst of them. Then, when I am able, He wants me to do the same for others.

It never ceases to amaze me how God constantly outsmarts Satan. While the enemy loves to trip us up and make us fall, God desires that we walk in a way that honors Him and makes His name known. Rather than letting the pains and wrong choices of our past defeat us, rendering us unfit for God’s service, God will make use of our mistakes and our less-than-perfect circumstances. He can take our willingness to open up about them, being real rather than plastic, to encourage a weary traveler along life’s journey. If we let Him, our forgiving and patient Lord will turn our ugly scars into beautiful stars!

Dear Lord, I admit that I have scars in my life. Rather than opting for a quick fix, I want desperately to let You heal my scars and cleanse my sin. Take my life and let it be something that is useful in Your kingdom. May others be warned by my mistakes and prompted to prayer by my decisions. Turn my scars to stars that will shine brightly for You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

hugs... love... & blessings...

.::Tam::.