"Never be ashamed of the scars that life has left you with. A scar means the hurt is over, the wound is closed, you endured the pain and God has healed you." (I cannot find an author for this quote.) A friend and I have been in a dialogue about this quote. At first, we both appreciated the quote and then we both began to doubt whether there are truly scars left behind if God is the healer. Now, however, I am back to believing that scars are necessary. I am all about mentoring and mentoring is all about receiving guidance from one who has already walked the path that you are walking. So...perhaps those scars that we carry are a way for others to recognize that we have walked a certain path or have defeated a certain foe or battled a certain battle. Then they can be drawn to us or vice versa when we need to be a mentor or to find a mentor. Perhaps our scars are necessary to make us better instruments in God's hands.
I am seeing a couple of people I love very much dealing with old wounds right now. And I am being reminded that so often, we can do all the right things, but the choices of others or physical/chemical issues or the simple workings of life mean that we cannot totally close some wounds. We cannot control others or vicissitudes of life or sometimes even the physical/chemical imbalances. So, if we cannot control these things, what do we do to heal? How do we repent if another's bitterness means that we are not allowed to be free of past mistakes? Many who may read this would answer with the word "God" and I cannot argue with that, but I want more than just that one word. I realize that I am tired and I am stubborn and ornery and I am near to allowing my own bitterness at the pain I see in those I love overwhelm me. But I am still open to answers and to dialogue and to trying to find some peace. Any thoughts out there...
