How Do I Deal With Emotional Scars? Series

SCARS - How Do I Deal with Emotional Scars?

January 15, 2023

Romans 12:9-21

Introduction:

“Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.”

I think that is one of the most powerful phrases in the Bible…it punches me in the chest with its simple power.

The Greek word for “sincere” literally means “without wax.” And it comes from a situation where dishonest pottery merchants would fill in the cracks and flaws caused when a piece was fired in the kiln. They’d fill in the flaws with wax, paint over it, and sell it as perfect.

Real love isn’t like that…real love doesn’t try to appear to be something it’s not…Real love is without wax…it’s sincere.

Here’s my problem…I don’t like for people to see how cracked and flawed I am…I want to hate what is evil and cling to what is good…but sometimes I do the exact opposite.

Six chapters earlier Paul told the Romans exactly that truth about Himself.

“I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. (v. 16) He goes on to say “For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do - this I keep on doing…I find this law (truth) at work. Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me.” (Romans 7:15, 18, 19, 21)

And then he makes an amazing plea - “What a wretched man I am. Who will rescue me from this body subject to death?” (v. 24)

This is one of the most amazing Christian servants of all time. He wrote over half the New Testament…He planted churches throughout the known world…and went through persecutions we could never imagine…and yet he reveals his struggles…He shows us his flaws…and he also lets us know the one who has rescued him from this struggle.

“Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (v. 25)

Jesus has saved me…He doesn’t love me less because of my flaws…He doesn’t take away my salvation because I struggle, He gives me the victory over it.

I believe people who try to cover their flaws with wax make it impossible to love sincerely…because it’s a preferred version of what they want you to see…not the truth.

I wrote a poem for this message called THE SCARS NO ONE CAN SEE

The scars no one can see

are the most painful ones of all

They fester deep inside me

and are the ones that make me fall

The abuse and the pain were real

And yet, the scars aren’t visible.

And my heart fights to hide their reveal

Until it just gets way too full.

I’m grateful for a Savior who cares

About the hidden and deep pains,

And the scars hidden way down there

I’m glad His grace is greater than those things.

I want to be healthy and free

Of the scars created by sinful souls

People…just like me.

I’m thankful for a God that fills up all those holes!

If we want Christ’s love to flow from us with sincerity we’d better learn how to deal with emotional scars…the marks that no one can see and Satan keeps handing us wax to hide…we’d better let God fill those holes with His grace…Romans 12 gives us 3 ways to do just that…

I. FOCUS ON OTHERS

But Rick…“You don’t know what they did to ME!” “As for myself, I’ll never forgive them.”

“I can’t let that go.” The center of all those statements is “Me, Myself and I.”

Listen, I’m not trying to minimize what has scarred you emotionally…or say I understand completely…but there are only two choices…you stay imprisoned as a victim…or you move forward in Christ’s victory toward freedom…Satan schemes to keep us chained to the past and our pain…Jesus breaks chains and His truth sets us free.

Satan would have us be narcissists who can’t stop looking at ourselves…focusing on Me, Myself and I.

And Jesus says…“Whoever wants to save their life will lose it…but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it.” (Mark 8:35)

Here’s the gospel truth… “It’s not about you.” “It’s not about me.” It’s about Jesus and the gospel.

If you want to emotionally heal and grow in your faith…focus on others.

“Be devoted to one another in love…honor one another above yourselves…share with the Lord’s people who are in need.”

Practice hospitality…rejoice with others…mourn with others…live in harmony with others…don’t be proud…be willing to hang around with lost people…Don’t be conceited…live at peace with everyone if you can…

OTHERS!!!

To begin to heal from the scars no one can see…Jesus says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me…” (Matthew 11:28-29)