As a parent I felt horrible because I had let my baby down and now she was hurt and if only I would have done this or that maybe she wouldnt have staples in her head. Then I started thinking what if it leaves a huge nasty scar and everyone will be able to see it how terrible would that be?? After a little time and the adrenaline rush had worn off I was able to be a bit more rational and think to myself, so what if she does have a little scar? I have had more surgeries than I can count and have quiet a few pretty large scars from them and when I was younger I really hated them but as I have gotten older although I dont love them I have learned to appreciate their worth. Its become a part of me and represents the battles I have fought physically and although they have been painful and difficult I have made it through them.
Why is it that regardless of whether its a physical scar or an emotional one we are always trying to cover it up?? Isnt a scar nothing more than a representation of the journey we have been on? Isnt a scar often significant for the healing thats taken place from something painful? Its crazy to me the extent some people will go to cover up scars, there are more creams than you can imagine such as Mederma, bio-oil etc.... all claiming they will make your scar completely disappear and some people even go as far as laser treatments to try and remove them. I even started thinking about stretch marks and how crazy we are as women that as soon as one starts to pop out its instant panic mode, but really doesnt that stretch mark represent something so amazing and beautiful, the miracle of pregnancy and a new life being formed from within our very own bodies?
I'm not claiming we should walk around pointing out our scars to everyone we come in contact with but I'm wondering how much different things would be if we werent ashamed of them, if we werent ashamed of the journey behind the scars? There are very few people in this world that doesnt have a good childhood story of how they ended up with stitches or staples from one thing or another and I would also bet that if we werent so afraid to hide we would realize even as adults we have similar scars.
Now we all know that physical scars are much easier to expose than emotional ones. I think alot of the reasons we believe this is because we are so afraid of what others will think. If we can put on a mask and pretend that we have it all together and nothing has ever compromised that image then everyone will love and accept us. This is a lie from Satan that we believe so often because although I cannot see the hearts of every person in this world I can say with 100% confidence that we all feel like this. We all wake up every morning whether we realize it or not and put on our mask, we try to hide our imperfections, our hurts, our burdens and our scars because others dont have them only me, but you know what??? they do have them its just that they are at home covering them up at the same time and have maybe been doing it for so long they just have it perfected a little better than we do. Satan wants nothing more than for us to cover up those scars and the pain that the Lord has brought us through. I believe in my whole heart that beauty is always traded for ashes and God lets not one ounce of pain take place without a cause. We may not see the cause for years but eventually our scars are beauty marks and battle wounds for not defeat but a hope in the life of another.
One of the greatest things to me is that moment I am sure we can all recall when after we have faced a huge trial in life we come to a point in our journey where we have the opportunity to use what the Lord taught us to help someone going through almost the exact same hardship. Whenever this happens in that moment I feel so overwhelmed that I would like to jump on a roof top and sing "hallelujah" at the top of my lungs but instead I find myself smiling inside thinking "ok Lord I get it you knew exactly what you were doing." 2 Corinthians 1:4 "He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us."Satan wants nothing more than for us to count our scars and hide them but God wants to take our broken pieces and turn them into a beautiful mosaic for Him.
Regardless of where you have been, what you have done or what you have walked through in this life I guarantee you arent the only person who owns that scar because there is someone, somewhere else who knows the pain behind that healed wound. Next time Satan tries to tell you how ugly that scar is you remind him how beautiful the Lord has made it and what awesome things He has done in your life and others around you because of it.
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