I don’t have a display case at the entrance to my house filled with trophies.
I don’t have medals or ribbons on the front of my jacket indicating to everyone else all what I have achieved in battles or what rank I am.
I don’t have zeroes at the end of my balance in my bank account to show that I suffered and was treated wrongfully and was monetarily compensated.
What I do have is scars.
Scars on my face and on my head that remind me of what I went through. The scars are my trophies, the scars are my medals. These scars that I was once embarrassed of and covered up whenever I could, I am now proud of. Not because I suffered and came out the other side due to my own abilities and strength, but because God saw it fit for me to go through the testing ground of suffering and has brought me through to the other side a stronger, more resilient and Godlier man.
Sure, the scars aren’t pretty, they’re not symmetrical or stragetically placed where it makes me look tougher or manlier. They’re not tattoos that I carefully sketched out and planned where they should go. Truth be told, what I went through wasn’t pretty either; There were a lot of tears, questions, doubts, fears and confusion, and to be honest, there still are.
I still don’t know exactly why I had to go through this stroke, although it has resulted in my relationship with the Lord getting stronger and my relationships with other people in my life getting better as a result. But, I still feel like there’s more. Like I said, I don’t know what that is, maybe there’s nothing but, I want to stay open to the possibility that God has something more to teach me, more to show me and different ways to use me.
It may be that you too are suffering, that you are struggling, that you are being treated unjustly or unfairly and you can’t figure out if there’s a purpose in all of this.
God sees it.
God knows it.
God sees you.
God knows you.
He knows exactly what you need and what it will take to get you there.
You may not know why God is putting you through this trial, but He has a plan and a purpose for it and He has a plan and a purpose for you.
Trust Him.
