The Scars We Carry & How God Uses Them

Your heart still aches randomly sometimes, doesn’t it? If I were a betting woman, I’d bet all my money that you carry scars just like I do. Deep, jagged, tender, and beautiful scars. Scars that ache at the most inopportune time, yeah? 

I love to look up the Science behind things, which is odd because I nearly failed Anatomy & Biology in High School. However, A scar, by definition, is "A growth of tissue marking the spot where skin has healed after an injury." We pick up scars from old sports injuries, or in my case, a sparkler incident on the Fourth of July one summer long ago that left a scar in the bend of my right elbow. Now, this is solely the definition for external scars, but what about the internal scars we carry that you can't see on the outside?

You’re driving through rush-hour traffic when the ache hits and you try not to let the tears blur the lines on the road. 

Perusing the grocery store aisles in search of fruit and granola bars brings back a memory you swore you’d put in the recesses of your mind. Suddenly you want to cry and wish you would’ve ordered groceries online instead. 

When you’re waiting for a friend to show up to dinner and nervously tapping your foot against the carpet because a song reminded you of a difficult season, and you’d rather not cry (again) over the appetizers arranged on their pristine white plates. 

While you’re sitting in church listening to the choir sing a hymn so sweet and profound, suddenly the grief wells up and tells you to fight, flee, or freeze. 

You’re trying to be a present parent. Always running kids to activities and school, nurturing them, and helping them navigate the world. All while fighting to end the generational trauma that is so heavy on your shoulders. 

You show up to work and spend the day organizing, planning, and moving projects forward. But no one realizes you’re drowning inside.  

They say time heals all wounds, but I disagree. Jesus heals wounds, and time just slowly helps soften them. Then some wounds leave scars that still ache from time to time, no matter how much time passes. 

When you're in the thick of dealing with an open wound inside from being hurt, it is downright impossible to see that any good could come from it. The anger, bitterness, and pain all seem like it was solely brought to harm you. I've grappled with these same feelings in my walk with Christ, and I have searched the pages of scripture for answers. What I have found is that God does, in fact, use our scars as part of our good and His glory. No, it isn't fun when you're facing your own lion's den or being thrown into a pit of despair by those who claimed to love you. It stings when you're betrayed, cast aside, forgotten, or left for dead.

Then God restores you.

It might be long down the dusty trail when you look up and realize how far you've come. Your heart has been softened and comforted by Christ, and you then move on to the next phase of your scars. You'll be running into a stranger in line at the post office or meeting a new friend for coffee when you realize your scar is a testimony they need to hear. Then the Holy Spirit nudges you to share your testimony, and turns out they needed to hear it in that moment. It is never a coincidence when God places people in our path who are desperate to hear how God brought us through to the other side of our pain.

Then, in that moment, you realize that the scars were worth it if it meant pointing someone to Jesus.

You never know what scar is aching inside of the person sitting beside you at church, driving alongside you on the interstate, or anyone you meet. 

Pray for them, ask them about it, love them, and share yours with them, too. 🫶