Too Scarred to be Beautiful

For the past few posts, we've been really diving into the topic of not letting our outside appearance define our inner beauty. 
But what happens when we feel that our inside is the problem, and it's our hearts that are affecting what we see on the outside? 
What happens when we feel that our insides are
worthless, ugly, and scarred? 


I know that everyone out there reading this has a story.
I'm sure everyone of us has been though things that have 
cut, bruised, and scarred our hearts. This could be because of... 
bullying, peer pressure, verbal abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse, or mean comments; the list could go on and on and on. 
I bet everyone can think back to an incident or time in the past, and remember the damage that was done because... 
your mom called you worthless, or a mean girl said you were too different to be in the club, or a teacher called you stupid, or a parent hit you. 
I bet you remember that moment vividly even if it was from a long time ago. I know I can remember mean things that were done to me, and said about me in the fourth grade.
  
So now, we are faced with this problem: I feel ugly on the inside, so that's what I see on the outside. 


Take heart. Do not be discouraged. There is hope here. When we think about the things inside of us that are hurting, and when we take a look at our scars; we tend to feel hopeless.

But God says no. 
I say no.
You have to say no.
No, You are NOT 
              worthless, or stupid, or ugly, or unloveable.
You might have been hurt.
You might still be hurting. 
You might have scars from horrible things that have happened to you,
but those scars do NOT define who you are.
You are more than scars. 
You are more than the negative things that have happened to you. 
You are more than the comments and insults that have been said to you!
You are beautiful. Your heart is beautiful. 


Ecclesiastes 3:11 says, 

"He has made everything beautiful in its time."

It's your time.

It is your time to rise above the scars. 

It is your time to heal. 

I know it's scary. I know that sometimes we don't ever think we can heal. But healing is a process, and it starts with wanting. It starts with wanting to heal. 

If you need outside help to start healing, whether that be 

- talking it out with a friend, family member, spouse, or professional

- keeping a journal

- facing your fears

- forgiving yourself, or people who have hurt you

- or finding a church 

I pray you go seek it. I am rooting for you! I am on your team! I know that you can heal from anything you have been though. 

Jesus came for the hurting. There are so many times in the Bible that Jesus is referred to as a healer. All we need to do is cry out, and lift our hands up. 

"Some people see scars, and it is a wounding they remember. To me, they are proof of the fact that there is healing."

~Linda Hogan