scars

I write this morning to remind myself ... of something I learned in conversations this weekend. Perhaps it is one of those lessons I already knew, but was reminded in a different context. The lesson is more important than the setting of the conversation. Often in this life we find ourselves deeply wounded and it is often tempting to simply return to what we were doing before (it happened). This sometimes occurs when someone is in a position of leadership and wants to quickly return to full capacity after a deep hurt. GOD needs to have us take a time of healing before we return to the arena. Eventually the healing will occur and scars will form where the wounds were. GOD could have raised Jesus from the grave - even before he was placed there. It wasn't like he needed three days to get it all together! But instead, he did allow three days to pass ... a brief time from some perspective ... but an eternity for the son who had never been separated from the Father. When Jesus did reappear to his disciples, there were no open wounds - still bleeding and oozing. There were scars. Even Thomas was made to touch the scars! The healing had taken place and Jesus was back - ready to assume his ministry again.
It is both inappropriate and ineffective for us to attempt to return to the world of 'business as usual' after a deep wound has invaded our life. We need to wait a season; allow GOD his time to heal those wounds so that others may see the scars from the healing. It's a lot less messy that way also.