In the church we LOVE a good testimony:
“Jesus saved me from a life of drugs and alcohol abuse!”
“The Lord healed my marriage and now we are best friends and ministry partners!”
“God gave me a child after a decade of infertility!”
But you know what we DON’T love?
We don’t love broken stories that can’t be tied up in strings of victory.
We rarely love the walking wounded.
Why? Probably because we really, really want to believe that Jesus+time+counseling+the right attitude fixes everything.
But it doesn’t. There are some things that will not be “fixed” this side of heaven.
There are some among us who bear sacred scars.
Not all scars ARE sacred. But if the person whose body and heart are wounded has offered up those wounds to Jesus as an act of praise and sacrifice they are sacred, holy, set apart for His use and His glory.
And we need to make space within His Body to bear witness to these also.
We need to honor the heart that has said, “I will not turn back even though the road is long and hard and has no rainbow at the end.”
When Thomas doubted the disciples’ claims of having seen a resurrected Jesus, he wanted the wounds as proof.
Jesus appeared and complied-allowing the doubting one to see that He had, indeed, risen.
He drew close to Thomas.
Jesus: Reach out and touch Me. See the punctures in My hands; reach out your hand, and put it to My side; leave behind your faithlessness, and believe.
Thomas (filled with emotion): You are the one True God and Lord of my life.
John 20:27-28 VOICE
John describes Jesus in Revelation:
And there between the throne (with the four living creatures) and among the elders I saw a Lamb (Christ) standing, [bearing scars and wounds] as though it had been slain
Revelation 5:6a AMP
Wounds are not shameful.
They are often the mark of endurance under trial.
If the Lord Himself is bearing witness to His suffering for all eternity by displaying the scars from His wounds, then should we not also welcome others to do the same?
When we receive with gladness those who bear sacred scars we honor the life of Christ in them. We bear witness to the power of His love to supply strength and passion to persevere.
We are raising up a testimony to the world that says, “He really IS enough!”
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thelifeididntchoose 
I’ve been struggling with this same topic myself ever since I wrote, my God is good post. Thank you.
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I think it’s natural for us who are living a life of perseverance and endurance to wonder why others in our own congregations can’t understand how great a testimony it is to the love and mercy and grace of Jesus Christ. Not everyone is healed this side of heaven. But the grace to endure, the strength to carry on when everything in us screams, “Give up!” is powerful evidence of a sustaining God.
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Thanks for sharing this Melanie. It has long been one of my “bugbears” with church, that people only ever got invited up to share when they had reached the victory. It’s not a realistic picture of the Christian walk and it left me in pain. All of Karis life we, and many many others, prayed for her to be healed from cystic fibrosis. She wasn’t. Where does that leave us? Without a story of victory to share? I don’t believe so. I believe the way Kari lived her life WITH Cystic Fibrosis was a victory. God allowed her to be a very special person BECAUSE of that terrible weight she had to carry. While I (and she) would have much MUCH preferred miraculous healing and the awesome testimony that would have come from it, God chose a different path and a different testimony of perseverance, spreading joy even while in pain and living life to the full.
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Rhyl, You are so right! A life truly LIVED in spite of overwhelming difficulties is such a testimony to God’s sustaining grace. In centuries past, when modern medicine had not made possible many of the cures/treatments we enjoy today, I think God’s people had a little better understanding of that. In parts of the world where that’s still the case, His Body is more welcoming of enduring testimonies, I think.
I am thankful for your willingness to share your heart and testimony with other bereaved parents through WWW in Australia. May the Lord give you strength for each day and overwhelm your heart with His grace, mercy and love. ❤
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