Your Battle Scars Tell a Story

Wether self inflicted, the result of courageously fighting the good fight or the wound of someone else's mistakes or attack, scars are visual reminders of what's happened to us and what we've been through, good and bad.

Scars are like tattoos with better stories!

Warriors Have Scars.

The unavoidable consequence of going into battle is coming out with scars. The circumstances that scar us can be incredibly painful and some wounds take much longer to heal than we'd like. Sometimes, we even prolong our hurt by continually poking at our wounds. But, as the wound heals, and a scar is left in its place, a chapter in your story has been written. Your battle scars serve as powerful and yes, sometimes painful, reminder of what you fought through and survived, now stronger and wiser. Your scars aren't left behind so you can continue to sit in the pain or glory of a chapter but so they can be used as a survival guide and battle plan for others who have the incredible opportunity to hear your story and how it intersected with God's.

So let's break down some common 'comfort quotes' we're frequently told by well-meaning people when they're trying to console us on our battle scars...

1. God won't give you anything you can't handle.

... Yes, He will. That's His way of showing us we need to rely on Him to handle it.

2. God gives the hardest battles to his strongest warriors.

... Tell that to the warrior who is facing the battle and hurtful scars because of devastating consequences that are the result of someone else's sinful choices. Bad things happen to everyone because we live in a fallen world. God's not up there orchestrating awful circumstances just to give to his 'strongest warriors' because they can simply take it. That's nonsense, cruel and doesn't serve a purpose. He does cause all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

3. If he brings you to it, he will bring you through it.

... Well, yes and no. If what you are facing is actually what God has been leading you to and you've been able to discern this with prayer and wisdom, then absolutely, he has already gone before you. But most often I see this quote used in situations where we've caused our own mess and are facing the consequences so now we're shifting responsibility from ourselves saying 'Ok God, I guess you allowed me to get here through my bad choices and now there's consequences I don't like, so it's your job to fix it because you ultimately caused it.

Don't Hide Your Scars. They Don't Define You.

Keep Fighting Through the Pain of Battle Scars.​ Fighting, worshiping God in difficult or uncomfortable circumstances, and handing over all of your pain, fear, failures, and control to Him isn't easy. It requires vulnerability, honesty, integrity, understanding God's Word and hard work on our part that we can only do in His strength. It requires us to FOCUS on His promises and Look In, Look Out, Look Up and Look Around. It requires us to Seek Him in EVERYTHING and with our WHOLE HEART (Jeremiah 29:12-14). It requires you to obediently seek Him and live out your part in His story by letting Him redeem yours. God can use your battle scars in ways you never dared to imagine. In Him, you are so much stronger than you think or feel!