Have you ever stood in front of the mirror and took inventory of all your imperfections? I have. Have you ever taken a moment to think about the story behind each of them? I can remember some of them quite vividly. On the other hand, there are some that I have no idea about where they came from. Regardless, the fact remains that they are here to stay.
Immediately, I began to think about how every scar is has a story. Scars are the result of the healing process that has taken place in the body. As a science teacher, I couldn’t help but visualize what the healing process looks like. Scars form due to damage to the tissue. The body forms protein fibers called collagen fibers to repair the damage. Thereafter, a scar is formed. One of my greatest challenges has been having to learn to walk again after my hip surgeries. Every day, I am reminded of my surgeries because I have two scars on each hip. Although I will probably never wear a swimsuit without shorts or something covering them up, I am grateful for them because they remind me of the challenges I’ve overcome.
What if we looked at our imperfections from another perspective? What if we began to view them as beauty marks instead of scars? Let’s take a closer look at the process. Initially, the scar formation process starts painfully. The wound is red and inflamed but eventually, everything smooths out and the scars remain. Our trials are the same way. They start rough and we don’t always see past our injury due to the pain. It isn’t until later that we can see the work that has been going on below the surface manifest. This usually doesn’t happen until after we have suffered awhile. It is the same with our scars.
1 Peter 5:10
And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.
What about those hidden scars? The truth is we can’t always see the damage or even the restoration that has taken place below the surface. I don’t know about you but I know my heart has many scars. God has healed my broken heart many times. What about those mental scars we have from the trauma we have experienced in our lives? Yet, we are still standing because God has restored our minds and strengthened us. He wants us to share that restoration with others.
What if we began to bare our imperfections before one another? What if we let each other in and allowed each other to see our “scars”? Would we see and love each other differently? I believe so because we would no longer be hiding behind masks or false perfection. We would not be so quick to judge one another and leave each other wounded on the battlefield. We would quickly get our wounded brother or sister to safety so their healing could begin. We would cover them in prayer until they recover.
James 5:16
Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
Friends, I hope that you will start to see your scars from a place of beauty. They are our war wounds. Although they may remind you of trauma, they are also memorials of what the power of God has done in your life. The way you got them may have been unpleasant but remember that your God has healed you. It is by His stripes, those scars from the cross, that we are healed. He has restored and recreated you. You are a soldier that has come out of battle victoriously.
Wave your banner! Tell how your story became His-story!
@ 2019 NiaCara Lawrence
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