Scars left behind

 

"The sun rose above him as he passed Peniel, and he was limping because of his hip."

Genesis 32:31

On many occasions, pain, both physical and emotional have prevented me from seeing the obvious glimpses of God all around me.  

Exhaustion when raising my kids, the disappointment in failure, feeling overwhelmed during hardships, watching my dad die, watching my marriage fall apart.  All these things and more have made it difficult for me to see God's goodness at times. 

I have often said that the one person I can relate to the. most in the Bible is Jacob.   There have been many times in my life that I have felt like I was wrestling with God.  Wrestling through difficult and painful situations.  Holding onto God and refusing to let go until I find a blessing in the middle of it all.   

There is always a blessing, even in the midst of struggles and pain.  And just like Jacob, it will leave us forever changed.  For Jacob, it was a new name and a limp..  For me, it has been a number of things.  A deeper level of compassion for others.  A revelation of God's faithfulness, even in pain.  Healing, both physically and emotionally.  Through every struggle through there is one thing I have always walked away with....

SCARS

Scars; (noun)- a mark left after an injury, where healing has taken place.  

I used to always think of scars as ugly reminders of a painful event.   But what I have learned over the years, is that the scars left behind from the pain I have encountered are all reminders of God's goodness and faithfulness.  

God's goodness is there to be found in every circumstance in our lives.  We carry those scars not only as a reminder to us of what God has done in our lives but also as a testimony to be shared with others.  

If we change our perspective we will always be able to find God in the middle of our circumstances, even the messy and painful ones.  He is always present.  He is always good even in the hard times.

Take some time to look at the scars you have that are left behind as evidence of God's healing in your life.   And ask Him how He can use them to be a blessing to others who may be wrestling through the same battles you have already fought.