Beauty In The Broken

BEAUTY IN THE BROKEN

“30 So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: “For I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.” 31 Just as he crossed over Penuel the sun rose on him, and he limped on his hip.” Genesis 32:30-31.

Jacob had a mysterious encounter with God. He wanted a change and a blessing. In order to get it, he wrestled with the angel all night long. When the dawn breaks, Jacob received the blessing he was asking for; a new name, a new beginning and a new identity. But a dislocated hip and a permanent scar. A scar that will tell the story of his encounter and transformation. He's no more Jacob, the manipulator and deceiver, but Israel a prince with God.

"From now on let no one trouble me, for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus." Galatians 6:17.

In ancient times, slaves bore scars to identify who their master was. Paul suffered so much persecution until his body was scarred. 2 Corinthians 11:23-30. Yet he saw the marks as a sign that he belongs to the Lord Jesus. Apostle Paul saw his scar as a badge of honour. 2 Corinthians 12:9. The scars on his body and soul were the trophies of victories as a soldier of Christ. There was no reason for him to be ashamed of his scars.

Beloved, what scars do you have on your body or soul? 2 Timothy 3:10-12. You can either choose to look at it as an ugly reminder of a painful past, or see it as evidence of God’s grace.

"The other disciples therefore said to him, “We have seen the Lord.” So he said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.” John 20:25.

Jesus is risen from the grave! Instead of going straight to Heaven, He showed Himself to his disciples in His new, glorified body. Jesus showed them His scarred body to convince them He was the One. But not all the disciples were in the upper room that day. Thomas was missing. When the disciples explained to him what took place, he didn’t believe their story. Thomas wanted something he could see and believe. So, eight days later, Jesus appeared again. Not only did he showed the scars, He even let Thomas touch them. It was the scars that convinced Thomas that the man who stood before him truly was Jesus and not an imposter. The scars of Jesus were there as a reminder of what He did. 1 Peter 2:24.

It would be picture perfect if we all lived in a society where there is no strife and we all get along quite well. But such only exist in fairy tales, soap operas, and 'Mills and Boon' novels. We've all been wounded and sometimes, we do the hurting. The pain of rejection from someone you called friend. A marital vow a spouse didn’t keep. The stabbing words you overheard behind your back. Is it the abuse no one should endure? The truth is, we're all hurting. The world is full of broken and wounded people. In fact, internal wound are much more serious than the external ones. Invisible pain hurt worse than the visible ones. Some of the deepest and most severe wounds we bear are from deep inside the heart.

After a time, when we let go of our wounds, they begin to heal. Yet, the scarred flesh is never the same. The visible scar is permanent. The scars will be there forever, serving as a constant reminder of the testimonies of healing, recovery and grace. Even after the pain is gone, the scar will always be there as a reminder or memories of what we've gone through.

WE ALL HAVE SCARS:

Everyone has faced some level of hurt, pain, trauma, or misfortune. No one is exempted.

A scar is a mark left by the healing of injured tissue on the body. It damages and deforms beauty. Scars are life's souvenirs. It is a boundary between the pains of yesterday and the recovery of today. A scar is a triumph of recovery over injury. It testifies that we have overcome. A scar is a testimony of our victories over life’s blows. It serves as a link between what happened before the wound and now. Scars means that what kept you awake at night in pain is now behind you. It is a testimony of your survival. Scars are a reminder. It is a remembrance of something. Scars remind us of the danger we've faced in the past. It is a message not to make the same mistake again. A scar is a way of recalling where we’ve been and what we’ve been through. It is a sign of closure. A scar means the wound has healed, the pain is over and you’re moving on. Scars tell stories of our hurt.