Because I Love Him, I Will No Longer Hide My Scars

We have all experienced pain: abuse, rejection, loss of loved ones, loss of a job, or even pain caused by an addiction. We all deal with pain differently, and I think that it’s safe to say that we all think that we are capable of and therefore, we try to rid ourselves of the emotions caused by the pain. Although we may make admirable strides to healing ourselves from pain, we often fail to realize that the by-product of pain is the scars that are always left behind. Scars of anger, hurt, bitterness, low self-esteem, and feelings of unworthiness. If left untreated, these scars grow and intensify and most often leave us feeling helpless and ashamed. How do we heal from the painful scars that for some us dictate our daily actions and for others, define who we are?

I was recently thinking about painful experiences in my life and asked God to help me heal from them. Through prayer and reading God's word, I understood God telling me that in order for true healing to occur, I need to forgive and love just as He does. A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another (John 13:34). God was telling me to love my enemies-to bless those who mistreat me. What I now understand about forgiving an enemy or those who mistreat me is that it is a part of the process of transformation. Transformation is brought about when we walk in truth, forgiveness, and love. Maybe the purpose behind the pain and scars is the transformation because on the other side of the pain is strength, courage, perspective, and confidence. Walking in this love and forgiveness can’t be done in the flesh. It’s spiritual and the only way to do it is by the guidance of the Holy Spirit. The transformative healing is a daily process. I now have the daily desire to do good, pray for and love others, especially my enemies. We have to allow God to heal our hurt in order for us to fully embrace the good and perfect plan He has for our lives. I know that my pain had a purpose and the scars that emerged as a result of the pain are my battle scars. The weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds (2 Corinthians 10:4). I have forgiven those who have betrayed me, I have forgiven people who have intentionally mistreated and abused me, and I have forgiven myself for decisions that kept me in pain and bondage. I have used the weapons of love and forgiveness to tear down generational strongholds that kept me in bondage.

We will have pain and we will develop deep scars and wounds as a result of the pain. But, “We know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” We must remember that we were not born to be worriers; we were born to be Warriors!! Because of His Great Love for me, I can do nothing but LOVE Him. He is my light, my salvation; my refuge and my strength. He is my hope and my peace. He is my Jehovah Jireh-my Provider. He is El Emunah-my Faithful God. I love Him because He first loved me. This is why I can now boldly say `'' Because I love Him, I will no longer hide my scars!”