What type of stories they tell is up to you.
“The optimist already sees the scar over the wound; the pessimist still sees the wound underneath the scar.”
– Ernest Schroder
When I was in fifth grade, I lived in a neighborhood that had no fewer than 8 boys. I was the only girl they allowed into their circle and I think it was because I could have beaten several of them up. I smile and cringe as I look back on all the things we did because to this day, I don’t know how we lived through the summer without a fatal injury or two. We made ramps of piled bricks and a piece of plywood and jumped them with our bikes. We jumped off of a barn roof fairly regularly to prove we were not chicken. We played tackle football in the street. Sigh. I don’t remember any major injuries from these activities but I do have a couple of scars on my body, even 50 years later!
Scars hold a fascination to me. They are a visible history of some type of wound and my body healed itself by forming a protective piece of skin over the area. The hurt is long gone but the scar is a reminder of trauma.
I believe that just as our bodies have scars, so can our souls.
Part of living on this Earth means that we will experience wounds and scars. Just as there are proper ways to heal wounds on our bodies, there are proper ways to heal the wounds within.
1. Time
The first thing we must consider when it comes to the healing of our wounds and that is, it is a process that takes time. I dislike the saying, “Time heals all wounds,” because that isn’t always the case but time is an important ingredient toward healing.
When someone has been through a traumatic event, time is needed to process. This processing often follows the pattern of the stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. No two people process wounds the same way or within the same time period. We need patience with ourselves and others who are experiencing trauma in order for a surt
2. Interference
Picking at a scab on your arm that has just formed, of course, prevents healing and some people often do this with the emotional and mental injuries or traumas they have experienced
in life. Processing the event is a necessary part of healing, but obsessively concentrating on how you’ve been wronged is counterproductive.
The best way to heal is keeping the wound clean and emotionally and mentally, this involves choosing to only allow positive and productive thoughts to dominate your mind. In doing this, you are preparing the wound for healing, rather than negatively interfering in the process.
3. Scars tell stories
When I was young, the movie, Jaws came out and though I still have not seen the whole picture, I have seen some specific scenes. One of them stands out to me. Several members on the boat are gathered and they are showing each other their scars. One by one, they tell the story of each scar and I remember seeing this and thinking, that, yes, scars do tell a story. The question is, what kinds of stories will they tell? Will they be stories of defeat and bitterness or ones of hope and healing?
As Christians, we can be living testimonies of God’s love, faithfulness and healing. Psalm 34:18 says that, “God is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” Another Psalm reveals that God,
“heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” These verses give hope. God is in the healing business and longs to heal His children.
Scars have an important place in our lives; they reveal that though some difficult circumstances have come our way, in time, and without or negative interference, they are testimonies of God’s faithfulness to us.
