Mirror, Mirror on the wall...
When you look into the mirror, do you see the fairest of them all? It seems that many of us never quite see the "most beautiful" looking back from the mirror. We see many things, but most of them are not what we would see in a fairytale.
Why is it difficult to see the fairest of them all in ourselves? We can look around us and point out all the great qualities of those around us, but when we look in the mirror, we see something different.
I think sometimes our past reflects from the mirror. We see mistakes, regret, guilt, shame and bitterness staring back at us. We try to see what God sees - someone created in his own image - but when we look at the refection, we see words...we see the past.
These words can control your life. Guilt, regret, shame, bitterness. So many words. How do we get past these words to see the true refection? The refection of who God made us to be?
My friend had a refection of shame for many years. She had an abortion as a teen that she had hidden in her past. When she looked into the mirror, that shame and guilt reflected back so all she saw were the words staring back at her - not her true self. Not who God created her to be.
She was able to get past this refection of shame and guilt - she chose to forgive herself.
When we chose to take the very difficult step, to look ourselves in the mirror and say, "I forgive you..." that is the moment that God can begin to change our reflection. As we continue to look into the mirror, forgive ourselves and choose to see ourselves as the person that God created, we will begin to see! We will see our true refection. We will see who God created us to be.
It is not easy, but it is totally worth it! Take a deep breath, look into the mirror and dare to see something new! A reflection of forgiveness and peace - a refection of YOU!
Tuesday, July 16, 2013
Sunday, July 7, 2013
Scars
There are many things we try to hide in our lives. It seems the past can catch up to us when we least expect it. We try to move ahead, only to have our past staring at us again. We forgive ourselves, finally, only to look down at the scars on our arms. Some have scars that show or can be covered up. Others have scars hidden inside from things that are never spoken of.
When we walk around hiding scars, hoping no one will find them, we can be controlled by the past. We see the red marks and think about the past. We relive the feelings and try to push them back down in a place that has been bricked up and covered by years of pain. Anything can cause these scars to resurface. We may see someone who reminds us of the past, we may hear or smell something that brings up this hurt. When this happens, the feelings come along...guilt, shame, anger, pain. No matter how hard we try, these feelings continue to plague us in our daily lives.
In the Bible, it says, "by his stripes, we are healed..." Isaiah 53:5. Jesus died on the cross so that we can ask him to heal our scars. His scars are what heal us...his pain is what can make us whole. What is amazing is, while Jesus' scars heal us, our scars can help to heal others.
God wants to use our scars, our past, to bring healing to others. He can use the pain and mistakes that you have hidden inside. He wants you to share this past with those who need to hear it. Your scars can be the healing that someone else is looking for. If we continue to hide our scars, we will continue to confront the feelings of shame, guilt and anger. When we step out, cry, and share our story with another broken person - that is when we have freedom!
Our freedom comes from showing our scars. Someone else's freedom depends on it! Those who walk by us living in pain will only trust someone who they know walked through what they are facing. How can they trust someone who has not felt the pain they have felt? How can they share their scars with someone who has none?
It is not easy. It hurts. It takes a lot of prayer and a lot of guts, but when you take the step and allow God to use you to show someone else your scars, that is when you will have freedom from your own scars. That is when the scars of Christ shine through your own and bring light into the darkness of their pain.
When we walk around hiding scars, hoping no one will find them, we can be controlled by the past. We see the red marks and think about the past. We relive the feelings and try to push them back down in a place that has been bricked up and covered by years of pain. Anything can cause these scars to resurface. We may see someone who reminds us of the past, we may hear or smell something that brings up this hurt. When this happens, the feelings come along...guilt, shame, anger, pain. No matter how hard we try, these feelings continue to plague us in our daily lives.
In the Bible, it says, "by his stripes, we are healed..." Isaiah 53:5. Jesus died on the cross so that we can ask him to heal our scars. His scars are what heal us...his pain is what can make us whole. What is amazing is, while Jesus' scars heal us, our scars can help to heal others.
God wants to use our scars, our past, to bring healing to others. He can use the pain and mistakes that you have hidden inside. He wants you to share this past with those who need to hear it. Your scars can be the healing that someone else is looking for. If we continue to hide our scars, we will continue to confront the feelings of shame, guilt and anger. When we step out, cry, and share our story with another broken person - that is when we have freedom!
Our freedom comes from showing our scars. Someone else's freedom depends on it! Those who walk by us living in pain will only trust someone who they know walked through what they are facing. How can they trust someone who has not felt the pain they have felt? How can they share their scars with someone who has none?
It is not easy. It hurts. It takes a lot of prayer and a lot of guts, but when you take the step and allow God to use you to show someone else your scars, that is when you will have freedom from your own scars. That is when the scars of Christ shine through your own and bring light into the darkness of their pain.
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