JoyKeeperSample

His Scars

Have you ever been afraid, sad, or mad and someone says, “You shouldn’t feel that way”?

Well, the problem is you do feel that way. Things are turning around, but there’s leftover trauma that you are working through with God’s help. That difficult person that makes insensitive statements is still in your life, or that difficult season that questions your faith, and peck at your heart is lingering. Yet you get up every day, determined that today will be better than yesterday. You hold on to Christ and your faith with all your being.  

If I shouldn’t feel this way, does that mean I’m failing my God, who I love so much?

God, are you disappointed with me?

In John 20, several of Jesus’ closest friends are all over the place with their emotions. They just witnessed Jesus’ open tomb but wonder if it is real. 

Jesus’ friends are hopeful but uncertain, and afraid. 

Then they suddenly see a resurrected Jesus standing before them brimming with glory. He asks them to do something unusual,  to take a closer look at his scars. By showing them his scars, he offers indisputable evidence of how hard he fought for them. By asking them to look at his side, feet, and hands, he assures them he is the same Jesus they’ve always known.

He’s their friend, but also the Son of God. Omniscient. Present.

Are you in a season that makes you feel sad or unsure?

His healed wounds are evidence that . . .

. . . because of his scars, you have a relationship with him.

. . . because of his scars, you are free to talk to him about what is hurting your heart.

. . .because of his scars, he understands how you feel.

. . .because of his scars, he is your Healer.

You don’t have to hide those feelings to be considered strong, because your strength is in his love for you. That strength will continue to develop as you walk with him, trusting him. He has already won the battle for you. His scars tell the profound story that you are seen, loved, and known.

TRUTH: God cares about how you feel

REFLECTION: Write a letter to Jesus. Bring him up to date on how you feel.

#prayerstarter: Lord, I’ve carried around a lie in my heart that is as heavy as a boulder. It’s a lie that says you are mad at me when I’m sad. Your scars tell the story that you know how I feel, and that you fought for me. Today I reach to feel your battle scars taken on my behalf. In Jesus’s name, amen.