While cutting an apple, one summer day, the knife slipped. It was a serrated butter knife, so it was a little sharper than normal but not so sharp as a steak knife. It slipped through the apple down to my little, nine year old, right pinky. I did not know what to do. It hardly bled but it was deep. I walked to my mom in the living room, cradling it in with my left hand and told her I cut my finger. She told me to grab a band aid. I stood there and knew it was more than a band aid kind of fix and repeated I had cut my finger. She took my hand and looked down at my pinky, straight to the bone. We proceeded to the doctors.

As we sat in the little room, I was terrified. I did not want stitches. My mom asked the doctor if there was any way I could forego them, and the doctor agreed - fixing it with simply three small pieces of surgical tape, holding it all together. Stitches were probably the best fix but the doctor's grace gave me another option. It took weeks to heal. The bandage could not get wet, so I spent the summer floating in an inner tube with my hand wrapped in bags, so I could still enjoy our backyard pool. Eventually it healed and but there is still the scar on the bottom of my right pinky to prove it.

When Jesus rose from the grave after three days in the tomb, he had scars to show, too. The holes from the nails that were driven in to his hands and feet were visible for all to see. They told a story. They told his story of defeating death and triumphing over sin for all of humanity. They showed more proof of his status as God's son. Proof to doubting Thomas, who said he would not believe unless he saw the nail marks in his hands and put his finger where the nails were, and put his hand into his side, he would not believe (John 20:25). And of course, Jesus shows up. He shows him his scars and lets him touch his side, so he would stop doubting and believe (John 20:27).

Jesus shows up to everyone differently at different times and places in life - ready to heal wounds and scars. Scars from past hurts - physical or emotional, if you let him. You may be a skeptic or a doubter. And. That. Is. Okay. That is a place to start. Without doubting you may never ask questions or ponder meaning or search for answers. Without skepticism you may never find the truth and be able to dive in to the healing of God.

God is a healer. He is bigger than any scar that you will ever face. There is no one like him. No one like Jesus. The lyrics of Chris Tomlin's Our God ring out these truths. Have a listen.  

Our God is Healer,

Awesome in Power, 

Our God!

Praying that you would show your scars to someone this week and share the healing that you have received. Praying that if you have unhealed scars, that you would share them, as well because in order to start the healing process, you have to recognize that they exist. Praying that you would take the precautions that come with the injury and journey on accordingly, knowing that in due time, you will be fully healed - either in this life or the next. 

Praying that you would seek and question and get answers if you find yourself doubting. Praying that you would find the truth in Jesus and join in the worship of the King of Kings. Praying that nothing would stand against you as you go along your journey. Praying that someone who has shared similar scars would be put in your life to guide you as you travel through it, encouraging you and praising the Lord along the way. 

Here's to scars and sutures. 

Giving grace to others is always easier than giving it to myself. Of course you could not come because things got busy - I totally get it. It is okay you forgot it - next time. Late again? God's timing is perfect - amen. Perhaps it is the fact that their stories are better with an epic climax about nearly solving world hunger all during lunch time. Or it's the tone in which it is explained that their child was sick again and up all night. Or the look in their eyes as they pour out their own short coming. Or perhaps they just know how to give themselves grace as God so freely gives to everyone - something that I have been learning the past few months, as I have been giving up my own expectations and leaning more on God's grace in the day to day and embracing my weaknesses.

It is knowing that when you are weak, then you are strong.

Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.  That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.  2 Corinthians 12:7-10

Giving yourself grace begins with failure - knowing that you are a sinner (Romans 5:8) and that you are not meant to know how to do laundry, while prepping snacks for a daily adventure, all while holding a baby and simultaneously cleaning the house and tempting to answer the text message about dinner and the email about the event tonight but also knowing that God always offers forgiveness and grace nevertheless (Psalm 103:12). It is knowing that with Jesus failure is not an option, just a work in progress.  

Failure is not about giving up or being weak; it is about making yourself available to soak up God's grace and mercy. It is a giving up of yourself to allow God to fill you. Fill you will humility and forgiveness and a deeper communion with him.

It is learning that God's grace is sufficient no matter the circumstance. No matter what you have done. Here Paul is talking about how much he learned from his ailment. God says that his grace is sufficient for you. How much more should you freely give it to yourself?

If you expect too much from yourself and lack grace, you may end up feeling like a failure. But you will learn it, if nothing else. Learn humility and balance and forgiveness - for yourself and others.

Praying that you learn how to accept grace and give to yourself if you have not and that if you have mastered it, that you would share what you have learned with those around you because half of learning is teaching. When you really understand something, you can teach it to someone else (at least that is what my math teacher always said). Praying for more dependence on God through out your day and for his strength to be enough. Praying that you would overcome through Christ, since he has already overcome the world (John 16:33),

Here's to failure and more grace.