Your Scars Matter (in your life and in the lives of others)

Our scars matter. They testify to the faithfulness of God. 

Our scars matter. They testify to the faithfulness of God. Share on X

Scars Matter

Boys are often fascinated by scars. They display them. They brag about them. They compare them. They create stories around them. 

My oldest was born with an arm anomaly that left him with a stunted left arm and prominent scars. Nearly 22 years later, we still occasionally joke about the great stories he could weave around it.

He fought off a shark! He had to jump through a window while rescuing a little old lady from a burning house! He faced a car head-on to save a young child crossing a street!

Daniel has handled his different-looking and different-operating arm well. He accommodates for the reduced strength and usefulness, and he doesn’t seem to let his scars bother him.

That’s not true for many of us. Often we try to hide our scars—at least the deep-down ones. 

We don’t want people to see the unsightly marks. We don’t want to expose that we’ve been hurt. 

But when we hide our scars, we hide the stories behind them as well. And hiding those stories, covers up the evidence of God’s work in our lives.

Hiding our scars and the stories behind them covers up the evidence of God's work in our lives. Share on X 

The Stories Behind the Scars

Each scar testifies to a picture much bigger than us and has a meaning of profound significance. Some of the stories behind the scars are light-hearted comedies, but some are deeply moving dramas.

No matter the genre, each one helps comprise the person we have become. They’ve shaped and molded us. 

From the seemingly insignificant ones to the obvious ones, each scar and its story points to God and His faithfulness.

Cover up the scars and hide the evidence of His work in your life. Bury them deep under layers of pretense and prevent His glory from shining through. 

Look! Touch and See! And Believe!

I don’t necessary love my scars, but I love their meaning. I love what they represent. And to display their meaning I must reveal them to others. 

I don't necessary love my scars, but I love their meaning. I love what they represent. Share on X

Jesus did. 

Jesus said to Thomas(John 20:27): Look! Touch and See! And Believe! 

What if we did the same with our scars? 

What if we got over our fear of being exposed and shared our stories, the humorous ones and the deeply emotional and difficult ones?

What if we exposed our scars and said, “Look and See the faithfulness of the Lord in my life”?

What if we exposed our scars and said, 'Look and See the faithfulness of the Lord in my life'? Share on X

What profound difference might that make in another’s life? What healing might that mean in yours? And what glory might that bring to God?

Revealing the Lord’s mercy and grace through exposing our scars and the stories behind them just might translate in another person’s life to: 

“You can Believe and Trust in His faithfulness for yours!”  

And, as a believer, what better way to point others to Jesus! 

Then [Jesus] said to Thomas,“Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.” John 20:27 NIV

Reflections: What scars of yours are the most difficult to reveal? Why? What might revealing them, and the stories behind them, mean in your life and in the life of someone else?

I am always thrilled to link up with Suzie Eller for #livefreeThursday and this week’s prompt, “why I love my scars.” Click on the image to check out the wonderful encouragement.