Scars

I have been thinking a lot lately about scars. Visible ones, invisible ones, ones that slowly, with time become less visible, and yet are always there to remind us of something.  Some that have a date attached to it, that once every year, we are reminded of something that happened, good or bad, someone we lost, some victory we experienced or just something we celebrate. 

Some scars we received because we were young and dumb! or just the normal scars you get for being a kid. I have a lot of those! I have scars on my chin, my eye, my head and my wrist - all from just being a kid - or the sister of a brother who inflicted a couple of those scars! Over time, these scars lesson in visibility because of the way the body heals wounds, but they are almost always still visible.

We have scars from surgeries. The older we get, we begin to "fall apart" and often times need the invention of surgery to repair parts that have torn, bones that have broken, discs that have exploded - you name it. I have some of those too. When all is said and done, both of these types of scars will leave us changed forever. Either we will always have a scar that has marred our physical appearance, or because of a needed surgery, out body will never be the same - because what God originally made has had to be altered in some way physically. It just doesn't work the same. Trust me, I know!

There are also scars caused by just living life. We all have them. These are scars that can't be seen. They are invisible - mental or emotional scars. They are scars we can keep hidden from others. Pain that we can protect by keeping hidden. In order to really deal with them, however, we have to reveal them to others. We have to re-open a wound that we have been protecting or hiding, in order to eventually heal from them. This seems like a contradiction. In order to heal from a hidden wound, we must re-open it - allow it to bleed again, allow the air to hit it and be exposed for others to see it. We have to allow God's truth speak to those scars; both His Word and through people He uses to walk through life with us. 

This is where it gets messy too. All wounds are messy. I remember a few years ago trying to open a can of beans. My thumb was cut by the jagged edge of the can. It was a bloody mess. In order to get it to heal, I had to go to a Dr. and have her clean it and stitch it. The Dr. had to get involved in my mess in order to help the mess heal. In the same way, we have to get involved in other's mess, and allow them to be in our mess. We will get "bloody" in the process. But as we walk the path with someone, we also get to experience the power of the Holy Spirit, the power of prayer and the joys of being a part of the healing process. In turn, we are stronger. Stronger in our faith, stronger on our prayer lives, and more resilient in our ability to take on challenges.

The ability of the body to heal itself is amazing and in some ways, mysterious. In the same way, I see the healing of life's wounds just as mysterious, accept for this fact:  we have Jesus. How do we "heal" from the death of a loved one, a bad diagnosis, abuses, addictions, estranged friends or family members, divorce, etc. Time helps, but aside from Jesus, I have NO idea how anyone faces these kinds of things - without the hope that He brings, the love and care of those people He chooses to help walk through it with us, and the gift of the Holy Spirit - I couldn't do it.

Others need this hope - others need me - others need you - but ultimately, they need Jesus.

All wounds will leave us scarred. Some scars will be with us forever, and some will fade. This is my recent scar 

in time it will fade and not be visible at all, physically. But for now it is visible. I am no longer married as my husband has divorced me. I do not add this in here for anyone to feel sorry for me. I share it because it is life, it is a part of my life now. I also share it because God is still good. He is in the business of healing and using these scars to help others. I'm not ready yet for that. However, I know someday I will be. I also share this because there is a circle of trust and friends who got messy with me; who have and still are, loving me through it, praying me through it, encouraging me through it. Why? because it is what we do as followers of Christ - when we "sign up" to be authentic friends with others, we sign on for this - the good, the bad and the ugly/messy.

In the end we are a part of the scars of others as agents used of God to help heal the wounds.

Be an agent.