No one makes it through this life unharmed. In big and small ways, we all bear in our body and soul the scars of living in a fallen world. And while love does not erase these scars, it does remind us that our value and worth is not dependent on the marks we bear.
Of course, we all like putting our best foot forward and presenting ourselves in the best light possible. And naturally we would love for our wounds not to leave a lasting scar. But this is not always the case.
And often scars expose our deep insecurities and doubts. Will others truly love us if our bodies are maimed, or when emotional wounds and mental struggles rob us of freedom and glory we were meant to enjoy?
Our fears of being unlovable often cause us to hide in shame. And this only increases our loneliness and pain, as we believe the lie that we cannot share our true selves with anyone.
The beauty and power of love is that it sees all – the good, the bad, and the ugly and still chooses us. Scars do not diminish our worth in the eyes of love.
At the same time, love will weep with us as we bear these marks in our body and soul. It doesn’t turn a blind eye or pretend the scar doesn’t matter. It does matter and it does change things. And love shares with us the full measure of this grief without running away.
We rightly doubt the depth and sincerity of love when it seems to downplay or outright ignore the severity of our scars. But it’s also a mistake to assume our scars make us unlovable.
In the end, weep and grieve when your body and soul bear the many scars of this life. But don’t believe the lie that this makes you unlovable. You’re worth much more than the wounds you’ve endured.
Photo by Grégoire Bertaud on Unsplash
