Kingdom Scars

He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.
Psalm 47:3

Do you have any scars on your body due to injury or illness? These constant reminders of past difficulties are sometimes good reminders of the faithfulness of God during times of healing.

Do you have any invisible scars or scars of the heart?

Wounds of the heart are often the most difficult wounds to heal. Some heart wounds never turn into scars but remain fresh and cause pain in our mind day in and day out.

Whatever your circumstances, be comforted to know that you are not alone. Consider just a few of the scripture references about wounds.

For example: pierced, crushed, punishment, wounds— Isaiah 53:5; marks—Galatians 6:17; bruises—Isaiah 30:26 and Proverbs 23:29; brokenhearted—Psalm 34:18, Psalm 147:3, Isaiah 61:1.

Who or what hurt you? An abuser? An accident? Unforeseen circumstance? An illness?

Amy Carmichael, missionary to Japan and China, who also suffered greatly with illness and injury throughout her life, wrote a beautiful poem about scars:

Hast thou no scar?
No hidden scar on foot, or side, or hand? I hear thee sung as mighty in the land,
I hear them hail thy bright ascendant star, Hast thou no scar?
Hast thou no wound?
Yet, I was wounded by the archers, spent. Leaned me against the tree to die, and rent
By ravening beasts that compassed me, I swooned: Hast thou no wound?
No wound? No scar?
Yet as the Master shall the servant be, And pierced are the feet that follow Me; But thine are whole. Can he have followed far Who has no wound nor scar?

Friend, your deepest wounds may be visible or invisible. The wounds of the heart sometimes remain fresh and never become scars. But Jesus promises He can help you heal when you give Him your heart—because He chose to bear such pain while here on earth.

Let me encourage you to press into your pain today. If you continue to suffer from unhealed wounds, I encourage you to read and pray over this list of scriptures today.

Also, If your scars are visible and are no longer open wounds, thank God for his faithfulness and allow those scars to be reminders of his love and faithfulness.

Your journey toward healing and forgiveness, whether forgiving someone else or yourself, is open-ended and always clearly mapped out by our Savior King's grace and mercy.

Jill Hendrix
*Becoming Elisabeth Elliot, Ellen Vaughn, 2020, B&H Publishing Group, Nashville, TN, p 273.