DO YOU WANT TO BE HEALED?

WHAT HAS SCARS GOT TO DO WITH IT? There are however some pasts that leave glaring and very obvious scars. These scars are so obvious that people could easily see it. It could be some physical body scars. It could be some illegitimate child. It could be some physical deformities. It could be some sickness or diseases. It could be imprisonment. It could be some stigma. Whatever it is, those scars tend to remind you of your ugly pasts, and tend to make you always live in that past. God, however, does want you to forget the past, and live beyond the past. And he would use that same scar as your strength for a brighter future. If only you let him. That is why He is asking, “Do you want to be healed?” Let us look at Paul again, and how God used his scar to become his star. Please read the following passage carefully. “That experience is something worth bragging about, but I am not going to do it. I am going to boast only about how weak I am and how great God is to use such weakness for his glory. I have plenty to boast about and would be no fool in doing it, but I don’t want anyone to think more highly of me than he should from what he can actually see in my life and message. I will say this: because these experiences I had were so tremendous, God was afraid I might be puffed up by them; so I was given a physical condition which has been a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to hurt and bother me and prick my pride. Three different times I begged God to make me well again. Each time He said “No. But I AM with you; that is all you need. My Power shows up best in weak people”. Now I am glad to boast about how weak I am; I am glad to be a living demonstration of Christ’s power, instead of showing off my power and abilities. Since I know it is all for Christ’s good, I am quite happy about the thorn, and about insults and hardships, persecution and difficulties; for when I am weak, then I am strong – the less I have, the more I depend on him.” – 2 Corinthians 12:5-10, TLB. Can you comprehend that testimony? That was the reason he said, “I am bringing all my energies to … forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead.” It is not an easy thing though, especially when you have the scar – the stigma that always serves – as a reminder. And like Paul, we have prayed and agonized that God should take that scar away. But He always says ‘No’. Most times we always wonder why God refuses to answer our prayers, especially when it comes to issues like the scars from our pasts. Just as He told Paul, God is telling you today: “That scar is what I want to use – to control your pride and especially to make you who I want you to be. I am with you, and that is all you need. My power shows up best in weak people.” That was what made Paul to put in all his energies to look beyond the scars, but to see the stars in the scars. People around you may still scoff at you, and constantly remind you of your past because of the scar. But Jesus wants you to look beyond the scar and see his star shining in and through your scar. Jesus is saying, “My Grace is sufficient for you”. He wants to heal you of your past. Be you a culprit or a victim. He has a purpose for you and wants you to fulfill that purpose. He allows that scar to make you stronger – for when you are weak then you are strong. His strength will only show up best in your weakness. He is the only one that knows your past and also knows your future. And He wants you to forget that past so as to look forward to that future. He is asking again; “Do you want to be healed?” Let us read further about Paul’s testimony on how God healed him of his past and gave him a glorious future. The same Jesus that stopped because of Paul can stop because of you too. If only you can him make stop. Let him see you in “that case” too. “You can see that I am not trying to please you by sweet talk and flattery; no, I am trying to please God. If I were still trying to please men I could not be Christ’s servant. Dear friends, I solemnly swear that the way to heaven that I preach is not based on some mere human whim or dream. For my message comes from no less a person than Jesus Christ Himself, who told me what to say. No one else has taught me. You know what I was like when I followed the Jewish religion – how I went after the Christians mercilessly, hunting them down and doing my best to get rid of them all. I was one of the most religious Jews of my own age in the whole country and tried as hard as I possibly could to follow all the old, traditional rules of my religion. But then something happened! For even before I was born, God had chosen me to be His and called me – what kindness and grace – to reveal his Son within me so that I could go to the Gentiles and show them the Good News about Jesus.