ANOTHER WHAT IF!

 My external body is a road map of scars.  Scars from accidents while having a great time--a rock in my knee from a bicycle wreck after a dare, a knife slipped while whittling at Girl Scout camp,  the shovel missed the dirt and hit my foot while in a huge pile of dirt, and a gaping wound down in the Grand Canyon after a fall---a LONG way from the doctor.  Then there are the surgery scars--some tiny--others not so tiny. I have had all the things I can live without removed and now am left with only the necessities .  A scar from skin cancer surgery--the consequence of too much sun.  Then there are the scars from bearing children---having inherited the propensity to birth big babies with big heads--well I will stop there.    Each scar has a story behind it and most are very visible.  It is a visible part of my life line.

WHAT IF, our emotional scars also were visible?  Most of us have lost a loved one which left a big hole in our lives and invisible scar.  Most of us have experienced emotional trauma--some big trauma and some small trauma.  The big trauma would produce a big scar--the small trauma a tiny almost invisible scar (like the scar above my lip and eye from my very early years).  BUT when you start adding scar after scar--some big and some tiny- we begin to have a road map of our emotional lives.  "Emotional scars are long lasting psychological impacts that stem from traumatic experiences, disappointments, or profound life changes. "  

NOW here is the thing about all those emotional scars---they come with living life.  When we suffer trauma, the body's natural way of healing is to form scar tissue.  The amazing thing about scar tissue is it usually stronger than the original skin.  When you are a Believer, you are promised that God will bring healing to our scars.

"He heals the brokenhearted

and binds up their wounds."

Psalm 147:3

Yes, our physical scars are a type of road map of our physical lives.  Emotional scars though not visible are also a road map of our emotional lives.  Though not visible--they manifest themselves in our behavior.  The question becomes are we willing to leave the trauma behind and be healed or are we holding on to our hate, disappointment, rage and other negative emotions?   AND what about all those emotional highs---do we allow them to be front and center as we position ourselves in attitudes of gratitude or do we allow the negative to be front and center?   Things to ponder in our moments of contemplation today.