Scars

He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds, we are healed. Isaiah 53:5

Scars, so many of us have them, they can be scars that are very well seen or they can be scars that are well hidden. They can either set us free or they can keep us in bondage. When you understand that scars are not chains you find peace. Freedom, this word is used so much in the world it is something that almost all of mankind searches for. The most amazing thing about it is when you experience this word it is life-changing. There is only one way to obtain it and that is through Jesus Christ once you have it you are changed forever. Once you become born again in Christ, day by day things about you, around you start changing all for the glory of God. Now, I can sit here and state that life as a Christian is all sunshine and lollipops and if I did that I would not be honest. It is hard and in the Bible Jesus warns us that when we give our lives to him be prepared. He also says those that suffer for what is right are blessed.

But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. "Do not fear what they fear; do not be frightened."
Take courage. 1 Peter 3:14

I have many scars (like so many) from those that were the closest to me at one time. If you feel the weight of others on your shoulders get them off. How do you do that? Know what God says about you, it is all in the Bible. If anyone keeps you in the past, reminding you constantly of who you use to be if it friends or family that do this to you remove them out of your life ASAP. Being a family member does not give you a free pass to mistreat others and it does not mean that you have to deal with it for the sake of the family. Let me make something clear I am not saying dump on your family, try and work it out, pray and do what God asks of you. Talk to them, and if they listen and are willing to meet you halfway, and work on the problems within the relationships because it takes two and it cannot be a one-way street. If there is an in-between meeting place with a common ground for you and them you have a chance in that relationship. It takes work, dedication, and most of all forgiveness. When you need to cut that person out of your life ASAP is when they keep it to only one side of issues at hand. Mainly when there is a constant blame game, pointing fingers in one direction, unforgiveness, jealousy and hatred that stirs someone's heart for only the purpose of keeping all the attention on one person. This is a situation you do not want to stay in too long. This is a situation you need to hand over to God.

The most painful relationship you can be in is when the other person does not see the wrong in which they have done and are still doing it to you. When no one is willing to let there be two sides to a conversation and all they see is what has been done to them. This is tough, more so when people are set in their ways, and you have tried for years to meet them halfway and it does no good this is a bad place to be. It will lead you down a path that will not end well. If you do, God will put a fork in the road he will give you a choice to either continue down the same path, or he will provide a way out for you. No one wants to give up on those they love, and let's make sure we are clear it is not giving up. There comes a point and time when you have to do what God tells you to do and that is guard your heart.

Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life. (Pr 4:23)

We have to understand that "we" matter too and we matter to God. He cares very much about our hearts after all that is where he connects with us the most. He does not want to see it broken any more than we want it broken. When a relationship has you in a place God does not want you to be, you have to make a choice. Evaluate the situation, the relationship, then pray, step away long enough for God to show you who you are when you are no longer in that relationship. I am not going to sit here and tell you that this is an easy task because it is not. It takes a lot of praying and faith.

I had to make a choice a few years ago which was either to remain in a relationship or to let it go. It was the most heartbreaking situation I have ever been in, and not one that I would wish on my worst enemy. There comes a time when you do not listen to NO ONE but God, pick up your Bible and listen to him only. I know this sounds crazy and if you are not grounded in His word you will not understand any of it. I had NO doubt this had to be done it was difficult but as time went on I started to see a new me. I was growing in Christ, I was listening to him, and I was obtaining the peace that I prayed so hard for, most of all I became closer to God. I started seeing things that I did not see before, I was seeing the truth and I was not confused or lost I had a clear direction. I started to see what was wrong and right through God's eyes, not someone else's. My spiritual eyes were wide open to what I was blind to for so many years. I saw that the people I loved would try and keep me in shame to manipulate me in order to stay on the path they wanted me on. This is not God's path, he does not keep us in bondage, and he does not remind us of our past. Before I did not understand that I was in chains most of all I did not see that this was not love, not the love I deserved. I needed the love of Christ, I needed to be born again, repent, stand strong through him and not let others try to shame me into their own personal gain. I needed to break the chains and the cement block that was tied around my foot that held me in one place.

Isa 35:3-4 (NIV) Strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way; say to those with fearful hearts, "Be strong, do not fear; your God will come"

I started to understand that I was the most adored being on the face of this earth not because I had parents that said so. My creator says so, I am His creation, and I am His child. I am loved and he says my past is forgiven. No weight, no confusion, even though the path he has placed me on was work to get where he has me today. God did not force me to take the road to freedom. He left that choice to me, and when that fork was placed in front of me and I had two ways to go He showed me what I was dealing with and where it would keep me. I finally made a decision with no regrets to go down a new road, a road that Christ paved for me with His blood. That choice I made came with many, many, tears, pain, and today many scars.

When you make the choice to stand with God and remove certain things of this world and people out of your life you will not fall, you will stand in victory not because of what you have done but because of what has been done for you. Most of all you can look at the scars that only you can see when you look in the mirror they may be well-hidden scars but do not be ashamed of them. Know that you are in good company Jesus took many scars for the freedom of God's most beloved children. Know that your scars are there for a purpose just like Christ. I look at mine every day and I know it is because of those scars I now have a closer relationship with my Father, it is because of those scars I am born again. Next time you look at yours do not see the past, see the future, see Christ, see the love and mercy of God and what He did to bring you into His kingdom. He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds, we are healed. Isaiah 53:5
~Shannon Wendler