SCARS OF THE HEART
SCARS OF THE HEART
Psalm 147:3 “He (the Lord) heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.”
When I was in grade school, I fell off the merry-go-round. At that time, there was gravel all around the playground equipment. (I know you young mothers, just shrieked, WHAT!) When I fell, I skinned up my knee and it was bleeding. A friend helped me to the nurse’s office. (Not sure if there was an adult on the playground or not. WHAT!) Anyway, my mother took me to the doctor and I had to have stitches. To this day, even after almost 60 years, I have a big scar where I fell and got stitches. I am sure you have experienced something like that either thru an accident or surgery. Those are scars we can see. Scars that keep reminding us of something that happened long ago. Sometimes we want to keep picking at those scars-keep looking at them and wondering why this has happened to me. We keep looking at the pain and forgetting the power in the healing.
Well, we also have scars that we cannot see. Scars of the heart. I recently was blessed to be part of a convention of over a thousand women, as a vendor talking about and selling my books. It is several hours away, but I and precious friends make the trek every year because it gives us a much-needed boost of encouragement. There are speakers-a comedian-an acappella singing group and all group singing (have you ever been a part of over a thousand women singing together in one place? All I can say is wow!). Of course, I want to sell my books but the main reason I continue to go as a vendor is, because of the reaction from the women who come to my booth to hear what my books are about and my testimony. I can usually tell when I am touching someone’s scars in their heart. I ask them if I can come give them a hug. They start telling me of their hardships and pain through tears. I am able, with God given help, to help them to realize that they are not alone. I am able to show them, there are others who understand their deep pain that have caused those scars in their hearts. I let them know, there are others who also keep picking at their scars, holding onto their pain. I want to let them know there is hope in the only true healer of their scars of the heart, Jesus! Then, I pray with them while hugging them.
There is so much pain in this world! So many types of scars. Some scars I have heard from women were because of: abuse as a child-parents who only cared about themselves and left their kids to fend for themselves-depression and thinking of suicide-verbal and physical abuse from a husband-marriage ending in divorce-effects from drug and/or alcohol-happenings beyond a person’s control-cancer and other illnesses-some trials and pain they have done to themselves-reckless words that cannot ever be taken back-grief over a lost loved one-and so many other trials of this life that have left embedded scars in their minds and hearts. Through tears, one mother told me about her daughter, who had two small children. Her daughter’s husband had chosen to “sooth his scared heart” through alcohol and drugs. He had recently committed suicide. Here was a mother’s precious heart that had been scarred because of choices another person had made and was grieving for her daughter’s forever scarred heart. I talked to a woman who was in depression and was seeking help for her forever scarred heart. Another woman told me she had been a caregiver of five family members, all in a row, until they passed away, one by one. Years ago, my husband preached at small churches who could not afford a preacher. He told me of an older woman (she was actually my age at the time), who, through tears, confessed to him of a scar of her heart that she had “picked at” for many years. She had an abortion as a teenager. She had never told anyone. By her confessing and talking to my husband, she was freed from that painful scar through the healing power of God’s forgiveness. She still had that scar, but instead of picking and reliving it day after day, she was able to learn from it and find healing. Where there is painful wounds and hopelessness-forgiveness mends and heals.
I want you to think about Jesus while He was here on earth. Think of all the scars He had, mentally and physically. Think of when He was headed to the cross: the crown of thorns on His Head-He was whipped with a whip that had metal on it that caused deep pain and scarring-nails, about the size of the nails used to build a railroad track, hammered into His hands and feet. Why did He do that? The answer is for all of us! Read Isaiah 53. No room to, of course to type the entire chapter, but wow, it tells us of some of the sorrow and scarring He received. Here is just a small sample: “He is despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief…He was wounded…He was bruised…stripes…oppressed…He bore the sin of many and made intercession for the transgressors.” What was the reason for those painful scars?1Peter 2:24 says “…who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness-by whose stripes you were healed.” He wentthrough that for me, for you, for everyone!
I have had many, many scars throughout my life. Visible ones and ones no one can see. That is true of all of us, if we would just admit it. Instead of asking the why for the pain, we need to ask God to help us to see what we need to learn from this painful opportunity, in this moment of time. Our scars are in the past as a place of reference and not a place that we take residence.
Psalm 34:17-18 “The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit.”
Behind every scar, is an untold story of suffering. People have asked me why I share my heart scars, why put myself through the remembrance of that pain. 2Corinthians 1:3-4 is the reason. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.”
We have to share our scars to help others and bring glory to our God. As you do that to help others, you receive healing! You never know who needs your testimony to help heal their heart of their scars. That healing comes through the knowledge of God and His healing power. God places people in our paths who need our help and encouragement. That is what I pray weeks before I make the trip to the conference: for God to lead the women who need to hear my story to my booth and that God will give me the right words to help heal their scars and help them to stop picking at those painful scars.
Showing our brokenness, is a bridge to helping others to heal. It is a better help than pretending wholeness, which is a lie. Don’t be ashamed of your scars! They are proof of God’s healing power.
None of us want painful scars. But this life is full of pain and heartache. Reach out to others who are looking for healing. Guide them to professionals who can help them and let them know there is a way to healing, through our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! To God be the glory!
Till next time! Keela
