Hidden Scars

When I was eight, I wanted to ride my older sister’s ten-speed bike. I didn’t want to ride a kid’s bike; I wanted to be a big kid!

One Friday afternoon, my dad unsuccessfully tried to teach me how to ride the ten-speed. After falling off and running into a sticker bush, I gave up. Hurt, bleeding, and crying, I finally gave up my dream of riding my sister’s bike.

I remember coming into the house crying and angry about this one obstacle I couldn’t get past. I walked into the house feeling defeated and the scars to prove it.

“Even there shall thy hand lead me, And thy right hand shall hold me” (Psalm 139:10, KJV).

My mother saw me upset and bruised and asked what had happened. With tears of frustration, I told her I tried to ride my older sister’s bike. She said, “Honey, don’t give up; you’ll get there!” At that point, I wanted to throw the bike into the river but was determined to ride it.

So the next day, I got up early, dressed, and tried to ride the bike again. I fell off several times before something rose in me, a determination to try again. On the ground, scared and crying, I wiped my eyes and gave it one more try.

To my surprise, I was finally riding a bike I thought I couldn’t ride. I was so happy and proud that I didn’t let the scars or obstacles stop me.

Scars can mark a victory we have won.

God can heal our scars, but it takes trusting in Him to do the work to heal us. Sometimes, God will heal us but leave the scars behind to remind us of the healing that occurred.

“Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses” (I Timothy 6:12, KJV).

Sometimes the scars are left behind to remind us how far we have come and what God has delivered us from. Scars are a reminder of God’s grace.

“And with him they crucify two thieves; the one on his right hand, and the other on his left” (Mark 15:27, KJV).

When Jesus was crucified and resurrected, He showed His scars to His disciples as proof that He died and rose again. He could have removed His scars, but He chose to keep them.

“Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing” (John 20:27, KJV).

The nail-scarred hands of Jesus tell us a story of love, selflessness, sacrifice, victory, and redemption.

“I may tell all my bones: They look and stare upon me” (Psalm 22:17, KJV).

After I finally rode a bike, I thought I couldn’t ride; I looked at my scars as a badge of honor that I didn’t give up when things got hard.

If you are fighting a battle, don’t give up. Listen to the voice of God saying, “My child, don’t give up!”

When this life is over, we will have battle scars as a powerful testimony of God’s redeeming grace.

“The horse is prepared against the day of battle: But safety is of the LORD” (Proverbs 21:31, KJV).