The very things the enemy tries to scar us with – God uses to MARK US FOR HIS GLORY.

Scars are a reminder of something, & most of the time a scar reminds of something unpleasant.

Scars are not unusual & for every scar they have it tells a story.

Most of the scars we receive are from something bad.

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When you receive a scar or mark on your body it is there for a reason. All scars are not physical; it’s easy to see physical scars & wounds. But the more pervasive scar is an emotional one. Many of us hold on to situations, circumstances, thoughts, mindsets, & trauma long after it has become obvious we are being still being damaged long after the event has occurred. All because scars are like that, they are reminders of something, they are reminders of hurt or pain, & they tell of our trials, tribulations, & even sin.

A scar does not always appear at the very moment of the event that caused the scar. Sometimes it takes a while for the scar to make its appearance. There are some things we would love to forget but the mark of it will be there forever, serving as a constant reminder.

 

1. SCARS ARE REMINDERS OF GODS FAITHFULNESS.

 

When an emotional wound happens, we must take an active role in processing what happened and asking God for healing.

JOHN 5: We see Jesus healing a man who had lived crippled for 38 years. Before He healed him, Jesus asked the man, “Do you want to get well?” 

What if the reason Jesus asked him this, is because the man’s life would drastically change once he was healed. He would have to learn to walk and get a job, among other things. Our lives, too, will change when we allow Jesus to heal our wounds. Healing, involves action, & it will require you to choose forgiveness.

 Many people believe forgiveness means that we are saying that what they did is okay – It’s not okay. What forgiveness is saying is that — I’m not going to let that control me any longer. I’m giving it to God. When we give it to God, He begins to work in our heart. An emotional wound cannot heal without forgiveness. You must forgive others — you must forgive yourself.

WE DO NOT FORGIVE BECAUSE WE DO NOT FEEL OFFENDED.

We choose forgiveness because we are led by our priorities — not our emotion. 

MATTHEW 6:22

“But put God’s kingdom first. Do what he wants you to do. Then all those things will also be given to you.”

Usually — the less you feel like it… The more you need to do it. Following God is not a feeling, a preference, or something that is easy. BUT IT WILL LEAD YOU TO RIGHTEOUSNESS, (which simply means, “right standing with God.) God made the human body amazingly resilient. For example, when you get a cut, your body immediately goes to work to heal it. You don’t have to think about it or coordinate it — It happens on it’s own.

Once the body has finished it’s work & the wound has closed, there is a scar. The scar is evidence of closure — no more blood, no more scabs, just skin. God is faithful to bring us healing. We are never alone. Sometimes it can just take a while for us to see it clearly.

DEUTERONOMY 31:6

“Be strong and brave. Don’t be afraid of them. Don’t be terrified because of them. The Lord your God will go with you. He will never leave you. He’ll never desert you.”

 

2. SCARS REMIND US THAT OUR LIFE IS BIGGER THAN US.

It will cost you to carry something great. Nothing great comes at a small cost.

Sharing your story — your scars — can help those around you. There are people than need you to “get it.”

PSALMS 107:2

“Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story.”

There is a big difference between a wound & a scar — A scar says, ‘I’ve been healed & this is my story.”

 God wants to win the battle in you, so He can win the battle for you!

God has a purpose and plan for your scars, & you. You see, I have scars to remind me of just how much God loves me. It’s not the people, or things, or situations that you are fighting… its many times the (INNER ME) not the enemy that we must fight it is not the opposition that will defeat you – it’s your position in the opposition.

Proximity creates a connection — your position matters. Being in God’s presence will change your perspective. God doesn’t give us scars to remind us that we have been hurt. 

God gives us scars to remind us that we have been healed!

 

 

3. SCARS DRAW US CLOSER TO JESUS.

 

I often thought God could have made the flesh so that it would not scar when it is torn. Tongue has a certain type of tissue that does not scar when it is torn.

In fact, the tongue does not have scar tissue. I don’t care how many times you have bitten your tongue & hurt yourself, God has fixed it so that the tongue can virtually repair itself, & when it does — it leaves no scar. Maybe God enables our tongue to heal so that even in our pain we can speak in health & power – so that we can be like Him.

JAMES 3:1-12

“My brothers and sisters, most of you shouldn’t want to be teachers. You know that those of us who teach will be held more accountable. All of us get tripped up in many ways. Suppose someone is never wrong in what he says. Then he is a perfect man. He is able to keep his whole body under control. We put a bit in the mouth of a horse to make it obey us. We can control the whole animal with it. And how about ships? They are very big. They are driven along by strong winds. But they are steered by a very small rudder. It makes them go where the captain wants to go. In the same way, the tongue is a small part of the body. But it brags a lot. Think about how a small spark can set a big forest on fire. The tongue also is a fire. The tongue is the most evil part of the body. It pollutes the whole person. It sets a person’s whole way of life on fire. And the tongue is set on fire by hell. People have controlled all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea. They still control them. But no one can control the tongue. It is an evil thing that never rests. It is full of deadly poison. With our tongues we praise our Lord and Father. With our tongues we call down curses on people. We do it even though they have been created to be like God.  Praise and cursing come out of the same mouth. My brothers and sisters, it shouldn’t be that way. Can fresh water and salt water flow out of the same spring?  My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives? Can a grapevine bear figs? Of course not. And a saltwater spring can’t produce fresh water either.”

God will use our deepest hurt to develop our greatest ministry.

Our scars can be beautiful, because God gives us opportunities to invest in other people because of the struggles we have gone through ourselves. I’ve learned over the years to stop saying, ‘Why did this happen to me?’ Instead, I say to God, ‘Okay, God show me how you want to use this, give me the strength to endure so that I can be used fully for your glory.’ When we remember a wound — & the difficulties surrounding it — we also remember the GOOD GOD THAT WE HAVE! 

He always meets us in our darkest hour. If we have emotional scars because of our own wrong/unwise choices, we are reminded of the grace of His forgiveness and never ending love. The truth is, God sometimes allows us to experience difficult situations — even scarring experiences — to refocus us & draw us closer to Him.

For instance, King David’s scars from his sins reminded him of the abounding grace and mercy of the Father (PSALM 51).

PSALM 51:8-17

“Let me hear you say, “Your sins are forgiven.”  That will bring me joy and gladness. Let the body you have broken be glad. Take away all my sins. Wipe away all the evil things I’ve done. God, create a pure heart in me. Give me a new spirit that is faithful to you. Don’t send me away from you. Don’t take your Holy Spirit away from me. Give me back the joy that comes from being saved by you. Give me a spirit that obeys you so that I will keep going. Then I will teach your ways to those who commit lawless acts. And sinners will turn back to you. You are the God who saves me. I have committed murder. God, take away my guilt. Then my tongue will sing about how right you are no matter what you do. Lord, open my lips so that I can speak. Then my mouth will praise you. You don’t take delight in sacrifice. If you did, I would bring it. You don’t take pleasure in burnt offerings. The greatest sacrifice you want is a broken spirit. God, you will gladly accept a heart that is broken because of sadness over sin.”

So, when you go through something difficult, run to Jesus. If that pain resurfaces later down the road, get close to Him again. Many times we need to speak who He is not so that He will remember, but so that we will remember His LOVE | POWER | MERCY.

 

4. SCARS SHOW THE POWER OF GOD.

“Resilience is something that can only be developed in and thru pain. One way to measure true spiritual maturity is by the way hurt and pain effect you. “The things that hurt you the most have the power to help you the most.”

KEITH CRAFT

OUT OF YOUR PAIN COMES YOUR ANOINTING. OUT OF YOUR PAIN COMES YOUR CALLING.

We will probably never understand some of the things that happen to us in life. When approached with the question of why God allows pain in our lives — But it is during our times of struggle that we find out what we really believe about God. It is easy to believe in God when life is good — But when life is not good, then that’s when we really decide if we believe it.

 

In the middle of our pain, we have three options to decide from:

• God was not powerful enough to stop what happened.
• God was powerful enough, but simply didn’t care enough to stop what happened; or
• God allowed it to happen & He has some greater purpose behind it.

 

We must choose to release our pain to God & trust Him with the outcome. Once we are healed, the way we allow God to use our scars is by sharing them with others. We hide our past hurts from people around us either because we are ashamed or because we fear rejection. Carrying this pain around — can limit the ways in which God is able to use you.

 

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My pain or scar, began long ago. 

When I was growing up — beyond all the other awkward seasons & bullying you face in middle school, I was sexually abused by a stranger who was 18 in the church, & the year before that happened — I had dealt with a 38 year old man who was (theres no other way to say it) he was a pedophile. He tried to tell me that he loved me & wanted to leave his wife & kids — I was 11 years old. 

It didn’t stop there. 

I ended up moving on, finding healing & understanding that God had a greater purpose in all of the things I had been through. I came to realize after not understanding why God would let that happen to me, that He had actually enabled me to gain authority in the kingdom through those things. I could now help other people understand that even the ugliest things that we have no control over in life have a great purpose for God. 

After growing through all of that in middle school & high school, I went off to college, which had it’s own struggles. I graduated, moved to Melbourne Australia for about 6 months & then came home to find the man I would marry was a guy I had known since I was 11. He was very close to my family, he pursued me & it seemed that he really loved me. Years went by & we got married. Not even 6 months into our marriage he began to have an affair with someone I knew very well. I had no idea until I thought he was in trouble & I logged on to our mobile account. The texts & images I saw were heartbreaking. Yet, I fought for my marriage until the very last moment. I told him that I was going to love him so hard, he had no choice but to look back & see how much God loved him. 

However my fighting did not stop him from filing for divorce. I asked God to help me. I didn’t understand… I went through months of a healing process. I didn’t understand how people were capable of being so mean & honestly evil towards me. The things he said to her about me & the things they talked about circled in my mind. 

It continued until I finally decided I was done. I had been going over & over it long enough. I asked God to take the pain, to use my scars — ALL OF THEM! I didn’t want anything anymore. I didn’t want my pain, I was tired of feeling hurt, & I knew God had healed me before & He could do it again. He could use me again. 

Little did I know – God would not only use me. But He upgraded any dream I had in a husband or in a man. It’s crazy because the exact day that I got divorced, I was looking at rings a year later. & a month & 3 years to the date that the previous man left, I got to marry the man BEYOND my dreams. Healing is not about just always getting what you want. Healing is letting God do the work & not having to control it. When we let go of the reigns & let Him lead us — He can give us more than we have ever dreamed. 

I now more than ever know that all my scars serve a purpose. My scars preach Gods power, they tell of His faithfulness & ability to restore things greater than they started. & I choose to let my scars continue to tell a story of Gods love & ability to use everything we place into His hands. My scars represent the scripture that we all may know that says, “all things work for the good to those who love the Lord.”

You see —  I have found that God uses even the ugliest parts & pains in our life as a crown that give Him glory. I’ve decided He can have it all. 

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JAMES 1:12

“Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.”

 

In ancient times, slaves bore scars to identify just who their master was, & Paul suffered so much persecution in the name of Jesus Christ until his body was scarred up by the opposition & yet he says that it is what marks that he belongs to God.

 

GALATIANS 6:12-17

“Some people are worried about how things look on the outside… They do it for only one reason. They don’t want to suffer by being connected with the cross of Christ… I never want to brag about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Through that cross, the ways of the world have been crucified as far as I am concerned. And I have been crucified as far as the ways of the world are concerned. Circumcision and uncircumcision don’t mean anything. What really counts is that the new creation has come. May peace and mercy be given to all who follow this rule. May peace and mercy be given to the Israel that belongs to God. From now on, let no one cause trouble for me. My body has marks that show I belong to Jesus.”

This is symbolic of those who bear the scars of Jesus Christ, we have the “can’t help its” — no matter what Satan tries to throw our way, God has been so good we just can’t help it and we are willing to bear the scars. & we don’t mind displaying our scars like a badge of honor. Why? Because they are a badge of honor! Our scars are documented proof that we are indeed worthy of being called a child of God. We are so quick to say — I’ll believe it when I see it. But what if we started to live in line with the thought, I’LL BELIEVE IT & THEN I’LL SEE IT!

 

Jesus had some scars, when Jesus rose from the dead — Thomas needed proof. He needed to see the scars in Jesus hands and side. These scars became part of the fabric of evidence to prove that the Resurrection was not a rumor or a figment of his imagination brought about by grief and denial. The Resurrection was real. To Thomas, that is what the scars of Jesus meant — the Resurrection is real, and because the Resurrection was real it was documented proof that when we suffer with Him we have victory through Him.

If you have any scars, be grateful, because God has given you a way to show the world how faithful He is, that He takes care of us, & heals us… YOUR SCARS ARE SIGNIFICANT.

Yes, we may have been hurt at one time; people may have criticized us and spoken evil about us — even Christians. & the scars that remain are not to remind us of our failures, but of God’s victory over sin, of His grace & mercy toward us, & of His provision in our lives.

 

 JOHN 20: 25-29

“So they told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “First I must see the nail marks in his hands. I must put my finger where the nails were. I must put my hand into his side. Only then will I believe.” A week later, Jesus’ disciples were in the house again. Thomas was with them. Even though the doors were locked, Jesus came in and stood among them. He said, “May peace be with you!” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here. See my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.” Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!” Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen me but still have believed.”

Jesus could have healed His scars & come back without them. Instead, He chose to keep them. He had a message for us.

Our scars are important, & God wants to use them to help others heal.

 

2 CORINTHIANS 1:5-7

“We share the sufferings of Christ. We also share his comfort. If we are having trouble, it is so that you will be comforted and renewed. If we are comforted, it is so that you will be comforted. Then you will be able to put up with the same suffering we have gone through. Our hope for you remains firm. We know that you suffer just as we do. In the same way, God comforts you just as he comforts us.”

When Jesus appeared to His disciples, they did not recognize Him when He walked in the room until He showed them His scars. Once they saw His scars, then they knew who He was & as I was writing this — I felt like God was saying to me, That is still how people know Jesus today.

God uses the scars in our life to show others Jesus.