Count Your Battle Scars

I was a little bit of a tomboy growing up. I loved to climb trees and once I learned how to ride a bicycle, it became the highlight of my day. Despite my favourite playful activities, I have never broken any bones or injured myself badly enough to have any significant scars which I am grateful for. I don’t have any birthmarks either. My husband Ceaser, my son Caleb and my daughter Chiara, all have birthmarks. When my son was born, my cousin Sid came over to visit and insisted on changing at least one dirty diaper before she left. While she changed him, she noticed the mark under his foot and excitedly said, “Oh wow! Nice birthmark. At least we can find you.” I found that statement odd. I mean I know distinctive marks are used to identify people but it had never occurred to me that this would be a good thing. My son is almost six years old and her words ring in my mind from time to time.

I’ve never had to go under the knife for any reason, not even childbirth, and so I have not always understood the value of scars. When I lost my first baby, a work colleague, turned friend, came to my office to ask me how I was doing after the ordeal. She shared with me her own story of child loss and encouraged me to be honest with God about my grief. She also told me not to act in haste, sharing how she angrily got rid of everything she and her husband had purchased for the baby after their devastating loss. She sadly said that though she had nothing physical to remind her of her baby, years later, she appreciates the scar from the caesarean section surgery she had to endure during that delivery. Despite all that pain, her baby didn’t make it and though so much time had passed, that scar served as a reminder for which she was grateful. I may not have any external marks composed of fibrous tissue anywhere on my body but boy do I have some battle scars. Some are easy to detect, I may share battle stories on those easily, fully healed and almost proud that I survived, others… not so much. What about you? What scars do you have? How have they shaped you into who you are today?

“See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me, and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. ~ Luke 24:39-40

When Jesus died and rose from the dead, His body was glorified yet the scars He received because of what he endured at Calvary remained intact. A few months back I was at the dermatologist to remove a growth on my chin and another on the right side of my face. As the doctor was carrying out the procedure, he informed me that I could also have the black spot above the right side of my lip removed, to which I passionately refused. “That’s a beauty mark,” I explained, “I like it.” He reluctantly conceded though I could see his hands hovering over the middle of my face just itching to take his laser instrument to my beloved mark just like he had done with the two less-adored blemishes. My initial thoughts about Jesus and His scars were that if I had the chance to receive a glorified body, I would want those scars removed. Then I remember my beauty spot, its distinct feature and how I feel like I wouldn’t be me without it and I imagine that’s how Jesus feels about His scars. His scars denote who He is; “The Lamb of God who was slain.”

As we come to the close of 2022, I would like to encourage you to count your scars. More than that, I challenge you to do one better and inspect them. Examine them closely and find in them proof. Proof of who God is and who you are.

Proof that God is good

The Bible tells us that the Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble for He knows those who take refuge in him. God’s goodness is not demonstrated by the absence of trouble in our lives, His goodness is proven most when we are experiencing trouble. Our battle scars are evidence that no matter what trouble may come, God’s goodness and grace will carry us through to victory. God didn’t cause the battle to teach you a lesson but He does want to use the scars to teach you more about who He is. Counting your battle scars allows the Holy Spirit to prove His desire to lavish you with His goodness.

Proof that God has never left us

Our enemy knows the power of our scars and as such he works overtime to discredit them and what they represent. Don’t allow the enemy to fool you into thinking that your scars mean God abandoned you or brought on the injury. That couldn’t be further away from the truth. God didn’t cause it, on the contrary, He was with you in that battle, having your back which is why you didn’t lose your mind, lose your hope, lose your purpose or lose your life. You survived because God never left you! As you look at your scars, let them serve as a bold reminder that God has never and will never forsake you.

Proof that we are living

My son recently started playing football. One Saturday my husband shared with me how it had gone that day and how he felt Caleb needs to learn that falling is part of the game. He is optimistic that Caleb will learn as he observes how the older boys just get up and carry on each time they topple over. Falling, battles, pain and scars are part of life. They are evidence that you are not just sitting on the sidelines but have some skin in the game. No football coach yells at their players for falling during the game, but I would imagine that if a player fell, was not severely injured and stayed sprawled on the pitch the coach would not hesitate to show how he felt. In the same way, God’s issue is not that we fall down, His issue is if we stay down. God put a fighting spirit in our DNA because He knew that this life would be a warzone. He has placed a demand on the inside of us to get back into the fight each time we fall. Your scars are evidence that you didn’t stay sprawled on the battleground, you got back up to fight until you won.

Proof that we are more than conquerors

No warrior is without scars. When God is inspecting His warriors, He doesn’t look for the best-kept uniform or the strongest arms, He doesn’t look for the fastest runner or the heaviest build, He looks for scars. Our scars are evidence that even when the devil threw his best shot at us, we came out victorious. Our scars are evidence that we have grit and that God can trust us to hold fast even when we are tempted to retreat or surrender. Our scars are not a sign of weakness, even if the battle we endured was because of a mistake we made. Our scars are not a sign that we failed. No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. Remember that each time you trace your hands over a scar. You are more than a conqueror because you are in Christ. The battles will come and you will fall, but don’t take yourself out of the fight. Let the truth of who you are because of what Christ did propel you back up in Jesus’ name!

Jesus came to do exactly what He was supposed to do and when we had finished His work and received His reward, His scars were on display. So, as we wrap up this year, yes to planning for the year ahead, yes, to reviewing goals and what could have been done better and yes to counting battle scars. Count the ones you got this year and then keep counting until you are reminded of who you are because of who God is, and let that energise you into the new year.