Healing Has Begun

Everyone has scars and scar stories that are reminders of our wounds.

There truly is a story behind every scar. Some of the stories are painful; others are funny. Some are significant, some are filled with shame, while others are full of pride. Yet without exception, every scar serves as a visible reminder of wounds we’ve incurred.

Jesus had scars as well. Remember His wounds in his hands and his side ? They remind us that when we suffer so did our God; when we cry out in loneliness, so did our God. When we feel abandoned and alone, we remember that Christ hung on a cross and yelled for us, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” We don’t have a God who stands at a distance but rather one who entered fully into the reality of our pain. So when we suffer, we know that Christ can say, “I’ve been there, and I have the wounds to prove it.”

Scars are a reminder of something, usually something bad.  Every scar has a story behind it, a lesson learned. Scars are not wounds, they are healed wounds. All scars are not just physical. There may be emotional scars, spiritual, and psychological ones as well. I myself have plenty of scars,both physical and emotional.  How about you,  do you have scars? 

There is no makeup available nor cosmetic surgery, when it comes to scars of sin. Proverbs 28:10...”people who conceal their sins will not prosper, but if they confess and turn from them, they will receive mercy.” But consequences remain. In other words, He is merciful but He will also leave you a reminder of your sin, in the form of a scar. And remember this, God doesn’t allow scars to remind us that we have been hurt. God allows scars to remind us that we have been healed, been delivered; and set free.

There is a healing process that must take place. First we must reveal the hurt or the sin, and confess it to God. Do not try to hide it. David said in Psalm 32:3... “When I kept things to myself, I felt weak deep inside me. I moaned all day long.” And again in Psalms 39:2-3...”I kept very quiet...but I became even more upset. I became very angry inside, and as I thought about it, my anger burned.”

Some will try to escape the pain with drugs, alcohol, some by burying themselves in work. Some will even blame others, make themselves a victim. We need to take inventory of ourselves. Be honest with God. Trust me, He won’t be surprised by anything, He knows you are hurting. It also helps to release those that have hurt us, not try to settle the score. Forgiveness is the best medicine, it’s your path to healing.

Then begin to refocus. Turn from being a victim, to becoming a victor!

God will then use our most painful scars to make us usable by reaching out to others and sharing your healing story to help someone else.

So as the Matthew West song says...”don’t be afraid to show’em your scars; cause they’re the proof, yeah your the proof.”

Thank God for scars! They may look and feel ugly to some, but to me they are so beautiful.

This blog was created from this song being burned inside of me for weeks now. Please watch and listen.

Let your healing begin,

~Sister C

"This Amazing Grace"

While on my walk this morning, listening to the song by "Bethel" (Jeremy Riddle) called "This is Amazing Grace"; I began to really ponder on this grace God extends to us. I ask the question, what is amazing grace? Simply put, it means we get a reward that we never worked for and did not deserve to get. Grace springs from God's incredible love for us...he spares us the punishment we deserve.

Max Lucado wrote, "You come before the judgement seat of God full of rebellion and mistakes. Because of His justice He cannot dismiss your sin, but because of His love He cannot dismiss you. So, in an act which stunned the heaven's, He punished himself on the cross for your sins. God's justice and love are equally honored. And you, God's creation, are forgiven."

Almost everyday you and I fight some kind of a battle with Satan. Hey, it's his job and he does it well!
Everyday it seems that he is pounding on us. We long for the day when we will be free from all of this; but until that day we have to focus on our relationship with the Lord. We have to continually pray to Him and ask Him for His help and strength. We need this "amazing grace" just as much in our struggles as we do in our salvation. Without Him we are nothing and can do nothing.Yet with Him, we can do all things.

What a great display of this amazing grace in the story of the woman at the well in John 4. When everyone else saw a serial adulterer by a well, Jesus saw an evangelist to a city. And again in the apostle Paul,  everyone else saw a murderous, hate-filled bigot, but Jesus saw the author of most of the new testament. And in us, everyone else sees you and I full of sin and shame, Jesus sees a daughter or a son. Grace chose you.

But it doesn't end there! Because of the grace he has invested in us, we are then to give that grace to others. Not because other people deserve it but because we have freely received His grace and we can therefore freely give it back. Grace is really amazing because it multiplies and multiplies, the more you give it away, the larger it grows!

Amazing grace is not just a song we Christians sing... Amazing grace is the life story of every Christian.

Although I may not ever completely comprehend it, I am so thankful for this King who left all of His glory to die for me and who grants me His amazing grace EVERYDAY!


Loving His grace,
~Sister C

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