We all have them, big and small, some hidden, some clearly visible and others fading from view.  No matter the size, they all bring deep reflection on who we were and who we are becoming.  I am talking about the scars of our heart, the blemishes on our soul that mark the ground of a spiritual battle.  Though they are often the remnants of life’s storms, they are also the remnants of our greatest victories.  Their presence doesn’t mean that we haven’t healed or that we are now damaged, but actually quite the opposite. Remnants are a testimony of the faithfulness of God!  It’s okay to remember, and even reflect if God is still teaching you from it, but we mustn’t diminish or hide our scars, nor make it an excuse to be idle, because they are a part of us now by divine decree.  You see, Sometimes God, in His mercy will take us through the furnace of affliction (Isaiah 48:10-11), but in this refining process we are becoming more like Jesus (Romans 8:29).  The great promise though is that the God of all comfort will comfort us in our affliction so that we will have the compassion, the wisdom, the kindness, the patience, the understanding and the love to comfort others when they are hurting (2 Corinthians 1:3-5).  Scorched ground might be thought of as a memorial for a time, but you will see clearly once the rain has passed that pruning is always so that we can be more fruitful to grow in faith and holiness (John 15:2).

There comes a point in the life of every believer when our will comes face to face with God’s will, and it is at that moment “in the garden” when we realize who we are in Christ and that surrendering to the will of the Father is the only way to “drink from the cup!”

This is the point when it becomes easier to answer the hard questions the Holy Spirit puts in your mind: Are we content to have God in our lives as long as He doesn’t inconvenience us?  Will we submit to God in full surrender?  Can we say, “not my will, but Thine be done” but in the way of peace rather than reluctant fear?  It is easy to focus on ourselves, feel that life is not fair and even question the God who caused us to awaken today, but with the realization of being chosen (John 15:16) comes the brokenness which produces the fruit of loving God with a thankful heart (Lamentations 3:32-40).

The scars of the soul weigh down our hearts until we move to the next season of our life, but that’s necessary as their is always recovery time after heart surgery.  They are just part of us now, but that’s not a bad thing because they helped shape us.  This is important to understand because if you are a Christian and are walking with God, then remember these two things: 1) God is sovereign over your life and mine (Psalm 139:1-18) and 2) God has called us to be conformed to the image of His Son for His glory and His purpose (Romans 8:29).  You see, being conformed to the image of the Lord Jesus involves getting a few scars, but in that process God promises that He will orchestrate our circumstances to bring good from the bad (Romans 8:28). 

As you reflect on your scars, it is good to remember that our Lord also has scars, in His Hands, Feet and Side.  Though Jesus prayed in the garden that this cup would pass from Him, He demonstrated for us the resolve to allow His will to be conformed to the Father’s will.  Likewise, we do not pray that God’s will be our will, but that our will is molded to be inline with His will.  The scars that Jesus endured in His own body demonstrate His obedience to the Father.  How often have we prayed for a cup to pass?  Did we miss God’s calling? God’s blessing?  God loves us very much and He loves us enough to let us wander in the desert for 40 years if that is what it takes to break our stubborn hearts and get us to the Promised land.

You see, one thing that became evident to me is that every scar is a remnant in the process of dying to self.  It is a deeper phase in the renovation of the heart as we are being sanctified to become more like Christ in our pursuit of holiness.  It is easy to let the emotion of our circumstances overwhelm us.  It is not a bad thing to be emotional, in fact it is a necessary part of this process because it is how we get out the anguish of our soul.  In scripture, we see this with David, we see this with Habakkuk, we see this with Leah and Rachel, with Job, with Hannah, with Jeremiah, with Jonah and many others including Jesus in the garden.  When God brings you into the Refiners Fire (Malachi 3:2-3), there is purpose in the pain, largely that He must increase and I must decrease (John 3:30).  Sometimes the Refiners Fire is for pure pruning (John 15:2-5), sometimes it is because of sin and we must be disciplined (Hebrews 12:4-7), sometimes it is because of the idols that sit on the throne of our hearts (Ezekiel 36:25-28), but whatever the reason, we confidently say that ultimately the affliction was good (Psalm 119:71).  So it is in this process that we gain the spiritual maturity that produces life from our affliction and we can reflect on our scars with gratitude because God is faithful.  Jesus said, “He who finds his life shall lose it, but he who loses his life for My sake shall find it.”  A theological truth that our minds accept, but we can only realize this life giving truth when it stirs our heart to brokenness, and by the leading of the Spirit we drink of the cup in complete surrender to God!  Then we understand that we are becoming more like Jesus which is the best life possible!

(Further reading: Psalm 34, Psalm 38, Job 42, Lamentations 3: , James 1; Matthew 11:27-31; Luke 9)