Have you ever been hurt badly enough that you didn’t feel like you would ever truly heal?  I can tell you that I’ve had many hurts in my life.  A lot of the time, the ones who’ve hurt me were not even aware they did anything.  So through time, prayer, and God’s grace, I forgave and moved on with my life, but there was sometimes a scar that remained.

 

I received a very bad burn.  It took weeks to heal, and to this day, there remains a scar on that arm. It is very light and almost undetectable, but it’s still there.  Do you have scars from your past that may not be noticeable most of the time, but on a really rough day, come to the surface?  

 

I sang a song by the group, I Am They, Scars.  The song mentions, “I am thankful for the scars because without them I wouldn’t know You’re heart.  I know they’ll always tell of who You are.  So forever I am thankful for Your scars.”

 

I know how much that scar on my arm hurt, but that was nothing compared to the pain that Jesus went through for us.  When Jesus rose from the dead, He could have made Himself completely new, but He left the scars on His hands and feet.

 

When He reappeared to His disciples, the Bible mentions that Thomas had trouble believing that Jesus was real. Jesus placed Thomas’ hands on the scars, and Thomas believed.  Those scars were proof that Jesus’ promises were real, and that Jesus was faithful.

 

I am thankful for the scars He bore so that His promises and hope for me could be fulfilled.

 

So as I look at the scars of pain that are part of my life, I am thankful for them.  Those scars have driven me into the Father’s arms.  When I felt broken and alone, I could run into His hands and know that everything would work out.

 

Will there be more scars?  If I choose to live and make myself available to be used by God, absolutely!  The only way to keep from getting scars is to build a fortress around yourself that no one can get in.  But a lot of the times, your walls end up keeping God out and making you very empty and alone.

 

Jesus could have stayed in Heaven and would not have gotten a single scar, but we would have been lost for eternity.

 

Just as Jesus took a risk and let people in even though they hurt Him, I choose to take a risk and let others in my life.  I choose to be thankful that no matter what I face, I have the love of a Savior that was willing to put His life on the line for me. I am thankful for the scars!

 

This devotion blessed me today. As I was driving this morning that very song, Scars, came on the radio and it resonated in my spirit. Then I came across this devotion and I knew it needed to be shared with someone. I feel there are many today struggling with the scars in there life but if you would just take a moment and see your scars differently, be thankful for them, what a change that would make in your life. I am thankful for the scars!

 

“So I’m thankful for the scars, ‘Cause without them I wouldn’t know Your heart, And I know they’ll always tell of who You are, So forever I am thankful for the scars.”

 

Have a beautiful and uplifting day in The Lord!

 

Today’s Reading is Proverbs 27:11