Often, we try to hide our scars, especially the ones we acquired from those nasty wounds. The ones that have left us broken and exposed. The ones that leave us with our insides falling out. We hide the disarray of our lives because we don’t want anyone to see how truly messed up our life has become or the destruction we have walked through. We pack our emotional junk up in a neat and tidy little box and tuck it away so no one can see it.
We cover it up with people, places, and things that we think make us happy or take the pain away, when in fact they are just destroying us more. We involve ourselves in anything that numbs the pain, so we don’t have to deal with the feelings and emotions that come with exposing the scars. We allow these things to dull our shine and sometimes even extinguish it all together.
Now let’s be clear, I’m talking about the scars not the wounds. Scars come after the healing. Wounds need to be healed and dealt with before we include the world.
I did this for years, suffering through everything in silence, burying my feelings, dwelling in unforgiveness, and hurting myself and others in the process. Never really letting anyone see the real me or how badly the unhealthy behaviors and decisions I was making for my life were destroying me. No matter how much I tried to cover up my feelings and hide from my emotions, they just kept recurring and the wounds just kept getting deeper and deeper.
The world tells us that our suffering is not important. That no one wants to see or needs to hear about what we have gone through. No one cares. The world tells us to hide your imperfections, keep your junk in that box and throw it away. Don’t be different! You won't fit in if you are. The world encourages us to be bitter and selfish. That forgiveness is for suckers. We let the world determine our worth and define our worthiness based on other people’s views and opinions of us.
I want to share with you a little secret of mine that I learned about more than 20 years ago but never embraced till about 12 years ago. Although, He isn’t little and He’s not really a secret and by no means is He just mine.
The He I’m talking about is none other than the Great I AM, the big guy, the one and only G-O-D! He came on the scene in my life in 2009 and transformed my life completely. He showered me with love and over the last 12 years has allowed me to figure out who I am and to whom I belong! That changed everything.
In Romans 8:5, Paul said “those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh” and “those who live according to the spirit set their minds on the things of the spirit”. The truth spoken by Paul in Romans is clear: we can live one of two ways, in the flesh or in the spirit. In the fallen world or in God’s Kingdom.
When I figured out that the world's view is not the best view. God’s view is! I started to shine differently! God encourages us to be who He created us to be, the perfectly imperfect creation He knit together. God tells us to put Him at the center of our life and honor everything he gives us, every mountain, every valley, every flaw, and every scar!
We are called to let our light shine and illuminate the world so that through us others see and know Christ! So I believe God says, “Show them your scars!” Each wound that has been healed was given to us for a unique purpose. Put them on display for the world to see. This is your testimony from death to life!
Someone once said "don't shine so others can see you, shine so that through you others can see HIM!" We were designed to shine! Don't spend another moment trying to hide what God has walked you through. Don't let this world tell you it's not worth sharing! It is worth sharing and you're going to be the light that someone else needs to see.
Shine Bright Friends! I'll see you out there!
Comments
Post a Comment