Why I’m Thankful for My Scars

I am pleased to welcome my sweet friend, Rachel Shaw, as a guest blogger today. You will not want to miss the insights this young lady has to share!

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Have you had some stressful or scary situations in your life where you knew you needed God’s help? Did those situations shape who you are today or point you back to Christ? Through this post, I’m hoping that you can view your past in a different light because of what we’ve discussed today.

I have a personal story to share with you. I chose to share this specific situation because it shows how much I’ve grown spiritually through this incident in my life. Let’s dive in to the story:

It was a typical day in the Shaw household. My youngest brother, Michael, was almost 8, and I was 10. Somehow, we managed to gather every dining room chair from all over our house into one room. We lined them up in our big homeschool room. Picture fourteen chairs of all types, colors, and shapes in the biggest circle you’ve ever seen. Just for fun, we decided that it was a fantastic idea to jump excitedly from the seat—chair-to-chair—all around the room with no parental supervision. We got faster and faster as we went around a time or two. Our running was turning into a race. With way too much adrenaline pumping through my veins, I fell, and my chin hit the back of a chair—wham! Blood oozed from my chin, and I quickly instructed Michael, “DO NOT tell Mom!” My heart motive for saying this was three-fold:

• I had made a stupid decision to jump on those silly chairs, and now, I was realizing how dumb it was to do that.
• I was bleeding but did not think I needed any help.
• Mom would probably get upset or even punish me for doing this.

Michael ran up and told Mom. This was a serious injury that needed attention right away. Mom came to look at my injury. She heard what happened with the chairs and why we were playing on them, but she wasn’t angry. She simply called the doctor, got me in for an appointment, and drove me there. There was no scolding or “I can’t believe you did this, Rachel.” No punishment was given in the car or even after the appointment.

As I explained how the injury happened, the doctor carefully examined my chin. The next thing I knew, I was getting stitches for the first time ever. It was a scary experience. When it was all over, I remember the doctor saying, “You got seven stitches.” These stitches left a forever mark on my chin, a scar that continues to remind me of how powerful God is. He’s powerful enough to give, to save, and to take away. He chose to graciously let me live another day on this earth.

Let’s face it: you and I have many scars that we probably would never choose to have (if given a choice) because we either don’t want to go through a painful situation or we don’t see what God is teaching us through our imperfections. In this specific situation, I would never have chosen to get a scar on my chin, but I’ve learned to appreciate it because it points to how amazing God is. This is the way I view every scar I have: I see the importance of viewing it correctly. I view it as a very instrumental event God used to change my attitude and thinking. When we look at our blemishes this way, we briefly reflect that you and I could have died on those days, but God was gracious to let us live another day. So, even though we may not want a scar, it can be used for good and for God’s glory.

Even though initially I was not grateful at the time of my accident, I am thankful now for my mom, brother, and the doctor.

You may wonder: Why would I be grateful for my mom, brother, and doctor when I thought I didn’t need their help in the first place?

• Because I realized how dumb and foolish I had been to not want their help when they were willing to offer it freely.
• Because I now realized that these selfless people gave their time and energy to help fix my chin; my brother, asking for help; my mother, driving me to the doctor; and the doctor, stitching me up.
• Because everyone involved was there for me and wanted what was best for me.

Why didn’t I ask for their help? And why did I need my little brother, running up the stairs to get help from Mom?

• Because I was too prideful to ask. Instead of giving myself the glory that I survived a traumatic accident, God wants me to bring all the credit to Him for living another day.

During my dramatic incident on the chairs, I didn’t feel peace. On that day, I wanted control of the situation by telling Michael to not inform our mother. Sadly, my life felt like it was spiraling out of control, and I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t turn to Christ for help even though I should have. In contrast, when we are in Christ, our lives are purposeful, meaningful, and peaceful.

And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. ~ Philippians 4:7 ESV

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. ~ Romans 15:13 ESV

Looking back now, I see how God has used this crazy event for good in my life. Though you can barely see my scar on the outside, the whole incident changed me on the inside. The accident has helped shape me into who I am today. Through it, I learned so many lessons. For one, I learned that I need to tell my parents about my injuries and health scares. Additionally, I learned spiritual lessons as well. Hopefully as you and I get older, we grow and mature into people who can learn from our mistakes.

As I look back on this story, I am thankful for many things:

First, in the darkest moments of my life, God was always there. When I got hurt on the day of the accident, He was there. As we walked into the doctor’s office, God was there. His presence didn’t change when my circumstances did.

Second, I’m thankful that my injury wasn’t worse.

Third, I’m thankful for my mom and her calming presence on that day while she took care of and watched her daughter get stitches.

Finally, I’m thankful that my brother decided it was important to tell my mom about my injury. I am so glad he didn’t take my advice to “not tell Mom” and instead, chose to go to her anyway.

Now, I want you to think about your own scars. What did your scars or your imperfections teach you? How did they teach you what you know now? To whom did your ups and downs in life draw you closer? Take time today to look back. Look once again at your past—however hurtful, painful, or hard it was—and see how God redeemed it then and is redeeming it now for His glory. In those moments, it didn’t seem like He was there, did it? In those moments, it didn’t seem like there was a point to all the pain you experienced, did it? But there was a bigger purpose, and there is a point, though you and I may not fully understand it.

It would be impossible for me to say I got through this without Christ. With the help from God’s Word, trusted friends, family, and prayer, I was able to overcome this situation, and others like it, through the Holy Spirit living inside me.

My scars point me back to Christ. When I set my heart on the truths of Scripture, I understand that in Jesus I am redeemed, cared for, and loved. When I know that, I can trust that He is good, trustworthy, and merciful in all that He does. The situations in our lives may not seem good initially, but they can be used for good and can be completely transformed into good. Our outlook can be changed from “Why did this horrible situation happen to me?” to “Thank you, God, for these scars. They taught me about the ugliness of my sin, and they reminded me to rely on You for each breath.”

In the Bible, Paul’s outlook on his thorn in the flesh was changed once God taught him about how weaknesses can be used to display God’s greatness.

Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. ~ 2 Corinthians 12:8-10 ESV

Hopefully, as you gaze back on your life, you see God’s hand of guidance and protection in the difficult moments. If you have never thought about your scars or tough situations in this way, I hope you will today. As you remember how you got your scars, look heavenward and see that Jesus Christ’s nail-scarred hands bled to save you from your sins.

The same Person, Jesus, Who bought you with His blood, formed you in your mother’s womb and knew you and I would get every single scar we now have.

For you formed my inward parts;
you knitted me together in my mother’s womb.
I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.
Psalm 139:13-14 (NIV)

So, that is why I’m thankful for my scars: because it’s a public display of what Christ has done in my life! He carried me, sustained me, and saved me. He gets the glory in my life from birth to now, and for eternity.

In conclusion, because of the scary situation I experienced when I was 10, I have grown, learned, and matured in Christ. I understood deeper that God’s power is made perfect in my weakness.

What scars in your life have not been dealt with properly? Do you have friends or a group of friends that you’ve overlooked and feel guilty that you should have said something? Have people in your past bullied you or mistreated you? Do co-workers or family members see you as an outcast because of what you believe? Do you ever feel alone?

Any of those things could be identified as scars—even if they are not physical wounds. You don’t need to have a bump on your chin to relate to this post. If you answered yes to any of those questions, my heart goes out to you. You’re not alone in your suffering, and those events in your life need to be dealt with properly. Go somewhere alone today and tell God about it.

Be willing to let God’s view of your situation change the way you look at it.

God can take the ugliest situation and use it for your good. In 2 Corinthians 12, Paul had a “thorn in his flesh” that wasn’t taken away. God used an ugly thing to show Paul that God’s power can be displayed through his weakness. Once he realizes this, Paul gladly talks about his weakness because it doesn’t weigh him down anymore. The power of Christ inside him gives him strength to move on. And we can move on, too. Our actions or the actions of others do not need to define us anymore. We can cling to the cross with hopeful hearts and receive a new identity in Christ.

I’d also love for you to reach out. Talk to someone you trust, a Christ-follower, about your scars. Let them know what you’re dealing with. Not only can they pray for you, but they can also lift you up with encouragement from God’s Word. Get connected to a local church by joining a small group of like-minded believers.

If there’s one takeaway I hope you grasp from this, it’s this: remember the redemption of Christ at the cross. May every time you see a scar—whether physical or emotional—remind you of God’s bigger plan: His glory and your good. I hope that today you can rejoice in your weakness, and the power of Christ can be shown in you. People will wonder why you are so joyful now of a circumstance that was so difficult. You get the opportunity to say it was God Who completely transformed your mindset. And it is God who is redeeming every scar from your past for His glory.

Click to Tweet: Even though we may not want a scar, it can be used for good and for God’s glory. —Rachel Shaw #amthankful #thankyouGOD https://ctt.ac/f875F+

Thank you, Mary Claire Fargarson, for the photos!

Read two other posts Rachel wrote for me:
How Four Men Impacted My Life
How Three Ladies Made a Difference in My Life

MY GUEST BLOGGER:
“Rachel Shaw is a 17-year-old young lady, who loves the Lord! She and her family live in Indianapolis, Indiana. She loves to write, so please follow her blog, Rachel’s Reflections. Besides blogging, you may find her baking delicious desserts like blueberry muffins (a family favorite!) or reading one of her favorite books. She enjoys riding bikes with her family in her free time. Stay tuned for more information about her latest fiction stories on her blog, Rachel’s Reflections!

Rachel’s dad is Dr. Mark Shaw, my dear brother in Christ who has discipled and taught me so much about loving the Lord, living out The Great Commission, and using the Holy Spirit-inspired Word of God to bring hope and help to hurting people enslaved to addictions.”