Trusting God Through the Pain of Your PastSample

Day One

God’s Tenderness

Scripture: Isaiah 61:3; Ephesians 6:12; Revelation 12:11

I don’t know what variety of pain you’re walking through or have recently survived, but I want you to know this: God doesn’t waste our pain. You may have scars in the form of loss, grief, shame, guilt, or regret to show for the battles you fought, but each one of your scars tells an important story and helps create the narrative of who you are. And each one is sacred.

Your scars may not be physical scars that can be seen by the eye but scars that can be perceived and understood only through the wisdom and experience of a fellow sufferer. Some scars may be known only by God. But God doesn’t treat your scars lightly. He shapes them and shapes you in the process. You are braver, stronger, more tenacious, more resilient, and more beautiful for them. Your scars are valuable, as are the stories they tell.

Scars signify that we’ve endured a battle and survived. From Scripture, we know the source of our battles: “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Ephesians 6:12).

The enemy of our soul is the source of pain, adversity, temptation, deception, and shame. God never created us to live a life of sin, pain, or adversity, but he will see us through it, teach us from it, and bring good out of it.

The enemy attempts to silence us because he knows the great impact of our testimonies. “They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony” (Revelation 12:11). We serve a God who promises “to comfort all who mourn…to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair” (Isaiah 61:3).

Even in your pain today, remember that scars are often the platform of preparation God uses to draw us to himself, to highlight new facets of his character for us to experience, and to powerfully demonstrate the tenderness with which he holds us.

Lord, it’s hard to believe right now that you can bring beauty from these ashes. Help me to see how my scars can draw me closer to you. Amen.