Rabun For the Gospel

SCARS

By Caleb Smith, River Point Rabun Community Church

Scars. Most of us have them on our bodies. Some with funny stories, others with lessons learned. Eventually, the pain goes away and the only remembrance of the pain is the scar left behind. There is one type of scar though where the pain usually stays for a long time – Emotional Scars. Scars left by a wrong done from a loved one or family member. A betrayal that will never be forgotten. A lie that can never be taken back. A stab in the back that still feels like the blade is slicing you.

Usually, antibiotic ointment along with some stitches or bandages will help with the healing of the external wounds but they won’t work on our emotional wounds. Those stay around a lot longer and usually hurt far worse than our external wounds. God never intended for us to walk around with the hurt and scars from emotional damage. He spoke about this in Matthew 18 when asked: “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? As many as seven times?” – “I tell you, not as many as seven,” Jesus replied, “but seventy times seven.”

Jesus didn’t mean that we should forgive up to 490 times but on the 491st time, THAT’S IT! He wants us to be as full of forgiveness as he is Love for us. For some of us, the scars we have on the inside still hurt because we haven’t forgiven the person who left them. The pain is still there because we still dwell on what happened. We refuse forgiveness because it is easier to be mad or to hate that person. Jesus’ challenge wasn’t an easy one, but it wasn’t an option. Jesus knew that if we refused to forgive someone when they hurt us then we would be condemning ourselves to a lifetime of scars that never fully heal and hurt that never fully goes away. Forgiveness doesn’t always mean forgetting, though. The memory of the event may be with us forever but the hurt doesn’t have to. There is freedom in forgiveness. Freedom from regret, from anger, from hate, from guilt. God desires for us to live in freedom, not bondage.

Who do you need to forgive? What scars still hurt because you aren’t allowing them to heal? Do you need to seek forgiveness from someone that you hurt? Don’t delay! You could help someone find freedom through forgiveness.

The best forgiveness comes from the one who bares the scars of our betrayal. Jesus continued to carry the scars of the cross even after he conquered death. I believe it was because he wanted us to remember that even though it was our sins that held him there, his forgiveness was still available. You can receive that forgiveness today by trusting in Jesus and his work on the cross and resurrection from the grave.

Caleb Smith is Pastor at River Point Community Church located at 70 Old Livery St. in Clayton, Georgia. River Point is a non-denominational, community-driven church committed to leading people into a personal, intimate relationship with Jesus Christ. Pastor Smith and his family have made their home in Rabun and are happy to be part of this mountain community. If you’d like additional information please call 706-960-9275 or message HYPERLINK “mailto:caleb@rpcc.me” \n _blankcaleb@rpcc.me