Profiting from our scars.

John 20:27 Then He said to Thomas, "Put your finger here; see My hands. Reach out your hand and put it into My side. Stop doubting and believe." 

Jesus used His scars to prove to Thomas that He truly was raised from the dead and is alive. He was willing to use the pain and torment that He sustained to reassure and encourage. Thomas needed more than just seeing. He needed physical proof of what he was seeing.  ​

We all carry scars from our past. They can be physical, emotional or even spiritual scars. They are what makes us who we are. Our past can dictate how we respond to what is happening in our present. We can use what we have learned from our pain. We can be better equipped to deal with the trials and struggles because we have learned how to cope and overcome. 

Philippians 3:13, 14 Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. 

Many of us have difficulty leaving behind the cause of the scars we carry. We hold tightly to our anger and our pain. We are unable to let go of our grief. We are convinced that if we keep grieving, we will not forget the person we lost or the trauma we suffered. The Lord never meant it to be that way. 

Jesus reminded us that in this world we would have trouble but that He has overcome the world. He wants us to use the trials we endure to mature and grow. We can be a great deal of comfort to those around us who are struggling with the same fears and pain that we have endured. Being honest with others about our own struggles offers a promise that they, too, can make it through. Being open about our scars can help them to see that we do know what they are going through.  

Jesus has experienced everything we could possibly endure, yet He triumphed over the enemy's worst efforts. Jesus has promised to walk with us through life's challenges. He knows how we feel and is beside us every step of the way. When He walks with us through the valley, He can offer us comfort because He has been there.