Fearlessly Courageous
6 8 2023
Desk of Dennis Piller
Don’t Waste your Scars – They have a higher purpose.
Don’t waste your suffering. Don’t waste your scars. They are far too precious and valuable. Jesus never destroyed or wasted his! You may never know how the way you carry your scars or trials can impact the fledgling faith of another. People may not see an outward marker of your trial or know the story about that scar, but they witness your life, words, and attitudes towards life, work, and relationships.
They see it all, just like the child you didn’t know was watching. They are. God is using those trials and your witness in a thousand ways you will never see or know, but one way is to let others know that what they see is the strength of God in you. Giving Him the glory and not that it’s your strong resolve and resoluteness. Use it boldly to advance the gospel (Philippians 1:12).
Too many times in my life, I hid my scars because they typically spoke to some failure or deep hurt in my life. I was ashamed so I hide them. Some for decades and only shared them with a very few. Why? I was afraid of their judgment. I was still ashamed. That’s how Satan pegged me. But Jesus made me whole, why am I hiding that healing…that truth that His grace made me whole?
Isn’t it amazing how we continue to view those old scars? But they are really no longer scars if you look at them through the eyes of truth. Look in the spirit for the truth. They have become trophies of grace. Don’t they declare the victory of Jesus’s life over sin, our failures, our additions, or our betrayals?
Romans 8:1 is crystal clear; “There is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus”.
Paul said in Gal 6:14 ERV “I have scars on my body that show I belong to Jesus. My brothers and sisters, I pray that the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ will be with you”,
Tell people about the hope in you, how God has met you, and why your faith has made a difference in your trials. It is the most powerful witness you have. It is your testimony. Our testimony is not so much about the big moment you came to see the light. More so, it is your testimony through the trials, temptations, and mishaps of life that show forth God’s glory in you. When we hear of an others calamity or loss… it is your testimony of something similar that the Holy Spirit saw you through that you can share that will touch their hearts and bring hope and comfort to their souls.
That is the real testimony we are called to share. Each of us has 100 testimonies of how God delivered us and saw us through. We just need “a heart” for sharing “that truth” of God’s undying love with them in their moment of pain and suffering. Listening and being there can often be the loudest words of love and acceptance they have heard during their trial. So be inspired to share your victory over that old scar. Don’t waste those scars…declare them to the world when the opportunity arises. Jesus, didn’t waste his…did he? He kept his scars. I think it reminds us that we are loved and that we were worth every pain and piercing. Is 53:5 says, “He was pierced for our transgressions…and by his wounds, we are healed”.
Satan uses our scars to mark us…remind us of our failures…but Jesus uses them to mark us for His glory…for his higher purpose. Through Jesus, the shame is all released and erased. Know His word…It WILL set you free of those scars that may be lingering in your mind. We are on a journey…focus on Christ, because he is walking with you all the way!
Lord help me to see and hear what you do. Help me to dial in and discern what is hidden beneath the surface. Use me Lord in new ways to show forth your love and resurrection power. I want to be used by you. I want my scars to be used by you to show forth your glory, not my shame.
CeCe Winans Alabaster Box
