Your Hidden Emotional Scars Need Reliable Healing Power
If you look at my hands closely you’ll see scratches, puppy nips, a few age spots, and a few scars. Those are visible reminders of past events.
What you won’t see are the scars on my heart from loss, lies, accusations, betrayal, and rejection. Those are the emotional scars I tend to keep to myself.
Why?
Because I feel vulnerable when I expose my emotional scars and I wonder if you do too.
When you and I reveal emotional scars we feel like we’re opening ourselves to judgment… inviting people to decide whether we deserve them or not.
Do you ever wonder why we’re so quick to judge each other?
Why we’re so quick to question…
- if someone with a rebellious child failed Parenting 101?
- if an accident victim was impaired or texting?
- if a rejected spouse was cold, unloving, or unfaithful?
- if __________ was _________?
Job’s friends were sure he “deserved” God’s punishment.
Listen! God is doubtless punishing you far less than you deserve!
Job 11:6
Job had lost everything and his friends believed He deserved it because they didn’t want to consider a loss like his happening to them. That’s why we judge, isn’t it? If their wound was deserved it couldn’t possibly happen to us.
But the truth is—wounds are a part of life.
Everyone has scars … some physical and some emotional.
So, I’d like to ask. How much time do you spend thinking about your hidden emotional scars?
If you’re like me, you’ve spent many hours irritating them. I’ve questioned what I should have said or done differently. I’ve asked myself if I trusted too much or if I needed better boundaries. I’ve wondered if I should have been bolder or fought harder. And I’ve thought about…
But the truth is, all my ‘should I’ or ‘what if’ wondering hasn’t changed a thing.
My hidden emotional scars are a fact and so are yours.
But…
By God’s grace and the power of forgiveness, they are only scars … they are the evidence of old wounds that have healed.
A Psalmist wrote…
He heals the brokenhearted and bandages their wounds.
Psalm 147:3, 5
How great is our Lord! His power is absolute! His understanding is beyond comprehension!
Yes, our scars may remind us of the past but it’s important to remember they are not the present. Today is a new day, a day to boldly look at those scars and say, “By God’s grace, I am healed, restored, and strengthened.”
Peter wrote…
In His kindness God called you to share in His eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, He will restore, support, and strengthen you, and He will place you on a firm foundation. All power to Him forever! Amen.
1 Peter 5:10–11
There will be moments when we look at our scars and realize that life isn’t what we planned or imagined but because of God’s healing power, our faith is stronger, hope is greater, and our realization of God’s unfailing love is increasing every day.
And that’s a wonderful reason to live with gratitude. God is greater than our circumstances. He can take our wounded hearts and restore, support, and strengthen us.
So, when you think about your hidden emotional scars choose joy because the Spirit within you is greater than the enemy who taunts and tempts you.
You and I don’t have to be ashamed of our scars. They represent the healing power of God in our lives and when we share their stories we proclaim God’s grace to help one another heal.
Let’s pray…
A Prayer to Trust God to Heal
Your Hidden Emotional Scars
Heavenly Father, Your Word says You know the number of hairs on my head … and that number is constantly changing. (Luke 12:7) It also says that You know everything about me when I sit down and stand up. (Psalm 139) Based on those truths, I trust that You are aware of every scar on my body and my heart.
You have also been with me when every one of those scars was an open wound. You are my Healer, my Strength, and my Savior. You are the One who protects me, removes my shame, and lifts my head to worship You.
Thank you for Your healing power in my life. Please help me tell the stories of my scars. Help me be a voice who encourages the wounded with the message of Your power to heal and restore. Help me love like You.
Jesus told us that we would experience trouble in this life but that He has overcome its power. Because of His life, death, and resurrection, our wounds become scars, and when we arrive at the gates of heaven … even our scars will be removed forever.
You make all things possible. Please help me live today and every day for the honor and glory of Your holy name. Amen.
So, what do you say … are you ready to tell the truth about your hidden emotional scars and let God use you to help someone else heal?
If so, let’s commit to…
- Stop judging our brothers and sisters in Christ.
- Share the same love and forgiveness we have been given through Christ.
- Make it easy for others to reveal their scars to Christ with and within us.
I want you to know that you are safe here, so bring your scars and join us as we talk about the One who loves and embraces everyone who comes to Him. He is the Healer who knows about every hidden emotional scar and wants You to know He can use your scars for His glory.
It may even be because of your scars that God wants to use you right now.
God be with you, bless you, and give you everything you need to heal.
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I am so touched by your inspired words here today, Deb. Yes, I know my scars are many, but in coming to Jesus, believing in His power and forgiveness, we can all be restored to wholeness through the God we serve.
May you continue to bless others with your God-inspired wisdom, my friend!
Please pray for Danny’s complete healing as he will undergo another heart ablation today. Thank you!
Thank you, Martha! Isn’t that an amazing blessings … “restored to wholeness” by God’s grace. We are truly blessed. I pray that Danny’s procedure was successful and that he is healing well. I saw your comment and have been praying … just didn’t get a chance to reply until today. Blessings and hugs, my friend!
Good morning, Deb! I think all of us bear so many scars and as you said, some of those scars are visible and yet, our worst scars we do tend to keep hidden from the world. Your statement “even our scars will be removed” reminds me of a wonderful song by Casting Crowns, ” Scars in Heaven.”
You can listen to it on You Tube…
“The only scars in heaven will be on the hands that hold you now.”
Jesus’s scars are the healing power for any and all scars we accumulate here on earth. He shares His scars with everyone, so perhaps in sharing our scars, others might also be able to see and understand
the reason Jesus has His. Severe and debilitating depression caused me to hide out in my darkness alone, for so many years. But when I finally shared, it helped in my healing and amazingly so many others admitted they were dealing with depression too! All I went through has given me a great compassion and understanding of others with sad and scared up hearts! “One tiny candle can light up a whole room.” I brought my scars out into the light and no longer am I afraid of the dark! Praise God for the blessed gift of our Jesus’ visible scars. Amen.
Thanks Debbie for this lesson.surely out of the scars..we get our testimonies.May God heal my emotional scars.Be blessed.
I love that Casting Crowns song. I play it and sing along all the time. Rev had scars from several major surgeries and it gives me joy to think that they are gone as every scar that he carried in his heart. What joy it is to know that is the future for us all. God’s grace, mercy, and love overwhelm me. Thank you also for encouraging all of us here with your testimony and words of encouragement. Blessings and hugs!
Hi Deb, you have such a wonderful way of being honest: l love you for that. We have walked similar paths in life: the peace that comes from knowing all is well with my soul! In our trials He is sanctifying us until our whole being reflects the beauty of Jesus. I am housebound due to cellulitis in right leg: all bound up and painful. Discover l’m allergic to Simple Soap as well: My arms are particularly painful with a burning sensation since Saturday. We know Who Is With Us in these afflictions: a crown awaits those who stand firm and praise Him.
Sarah, thank you so very very much for your kind words. I am so sorry you are struggling with pain and limitations of cellulitis and skin reactions. I am praying for God to give you relief from pain and healing from the things are causing that pain. Thank you for reaching out. May the Lord be with you, bless you, and fill you with His peace.
Deb,
I am so grateful that you shared the reasons for your emotional scars with us. I have had those same scars and right now I have an open wound and I am praying for healing and strength. Some days are better than others and I am thankful for the man in my life that God brought us together. And I am thankful the family that came with him. I also appreciate Kathy, Martha and Sarah who today have shared that they have these emotional scars as well. You are right! When we tell of our emotional hurts, (I know for me) I do feel vulnerable and wonder if I should have or shouldn’t have. People are very quick to judge. Few understand unless they have had a similiar experience. I have learned to be very cautious with whom I share any deep personal hurt .
I am grateful that God looks at our heart and HE KNOW US; Every hair on our head and every fiber of our being. Kathy always reminds me of the scripture that tells us that “we are precious and honored” by our God. Encouraging each other and listening to each other gives us a sense that we indeed do matter to others. I know, personally that God is strengthening me. And I know that all of this situation is bringing me into a much closer relationship with HIM. It also reminds me to be slow in judging others. We never know what a person is going through. God is using me in a positive way.
I am so blessed that I found this website. Friendships have developed and also feeling like we all have a connection. God has blessed us all by leading us here.
God Bless You my friend. He sure blesses us through you!!
What a blessing to know that our Father loves us and knows every detail about us. I know I don’t deserve His grace, mercy, and love and yet, He pours it out on us as we surrender our lives to Jesus. He heals and strengthens when we need it most. Thank you for sharing your journey with us. It blesses me to walk alongside who understands the pain of rejection and the power of God’s healing grace. God bless you, precious friend!
Thank you Deb for another great post! A good reminder for all of us to extend grace and kindness to all, because we often have no idea of what is going on in someone else’s life. I have been too quick to judge based on what I see, and I have no right to do so, and it’s certainly not what Jesus expects.
Thanks for sharing this, Ken. I believe there are many of us who are quick to judge based on surface information. I need God’s help and healing grace every single day. I appreciate your visits and your kind encouragement. God bless you!
Wow! This really hit home to me as I too have physical scars but the hardest to overcome are the emotional. My emotional scars continue to surface at times but I need to place them in Gods hands. Because of my emotional scars I have a tendency to judge others by means of them hurting me. I know as long as I continue to seek, trust, love, and believe in God he can make me an image of him to forgive those who hurt me. This is why I am doing all that I need to grow in my faith so God can be my shield, healer, and protector. Through his blood shed he will give grace and mercy not to judge others and forgive those who hurt me.
Thank you Deb for the beautiful words and prayers.
Ana, I love the way you share your testimony and the ways God is helping you as wounds heal and you give your all to Him. You inspire and encourage us all. Thank you, sweet friend!