The Stories of the Scars We Carry

 

I look at these trees and see markings, scars. Markings that hold a story. Scars that tell us something lies beneath of what we see.

I wonder what these trees would tell us?

You and I, we too hold stories deep within. Stories of pain, hard, rejection, fires, and storms.  Moments that have influenced and framed a lot of what we believe and live out of; moments that have greatly impacted us.

But they are not meant to define us.  Yes, they influence and shape us but they don't have to define us.   

There's another tree.  A tree that holds the swing.  Words that come to mind - life-giving, freedom, shade, and enjoyment.

Our stories aren't held to or bound by what created our wounds. The story of our wounds are a piece of the story that God, our Father wants to reframe and re-story.  Re-story it to be a life-giving, redeemed story.  Wounds that are healed and leave a scar, reminding us that our pain does not get the last word. 

The scar of the one tree holds the green of life within it. Our story doesn't need to end in bitterness and oozing muck of pain. It can be the catalyst for something bigger than us, something beyond, something beautiful. 

In the presence of God, a wound that finds its place in the hands of God, is a wound story that can find healing and life. 

We learn of God's compassion in our pain.  

We learn of His presence in our loneliness.

We experience His love when our hearts hold an ache.

His truth grounds us, anchoring our hearts when the ground beneath us heaves.

I hold stories within, stories that left oozing muck of lies from rejections and the darkness of pain and hard that left me wondering if God was even present or cared.   But that isn't the end, they have been redeemed and reframed by a God I learned more of in those hard stories.  I learned in even deeper ways that God is greater than the hard I walk through.  He is abundant in His mercy and faithful in His love.  He IS ever present and really is full of goodness.  He wants me to know Him and find Him among the rubble of my story.  

Death didn't have the last say for Jesus, He arose.  Death, hard, pain doesn't have to have the last word when we choose Jesus.  Resurrection can and will happen after the death, when we choose His truth.

 You too, hold a story or two.  Stories that have left a deep, indelible mark.  Ones that will never be erased, only healed when touched by God.  And the scar is what remains.

Each of our stories are a pathway to seeing more of God.

Let's go back to that tree that holds a swing.  It holds an opportunity for life; for a young child (or one still a child within) to sit and swing, wild and free.  Trees hold nests for birds.  Trees that hold stories also offer shade and respite from the beating, hot sun for man and animals.  Trees hold the seed of life in the fruit it bears and drops to the ground beneath it.

An unhealed wound in a tree, rots it.  When its roots are not grounded, it falls.  But also, a tree that's wounds are healed, continues to produce life.  And one that puts it roots deeper in the ground, stands tall and only bends in the storm.

This is a promise of hope, of redeeming grace to the hard pieces of our stories.  God wants to show Himself to us in our stories, but we must choose Him and choose to want to know Him.

You may be in the midst of a blindsided wounding, a rejection so deep that all you want to is shake a fist or even walk away, that's ok... God is still present and whether you can see or not, it's a pathway to His heart, to Himself. So, I pray for you. I lift you to our Father. I pray for courage to look for Him, courage to choose Him, and strength to stay with Him. 

Maybe your story holds more healing than pain and for that I rejoice and praise the Lord with you.  The wounds are now a scar that only tell the story and remind us of the radical redemption of a loving Father instead of oozing.

Dear Jesus, 

Sometimes the wounds hurt way too much, they knock the breath out of us and we're left gasping and trying to breath. Hold us in Your hand with Your tender care. Give us the courage and strength to find a shelter under Your wing and to stay there. And someday may we be able to trace You, seeing Your thread of hope and love in this story and give You thanks. Amen.