Scabs and Scars

I have a scar on my shin. I don’t even remember what happened, but it was just a tiny little scrape at first. It was one of those weird things that I didn’t really notice too much initially, but then I realized there was a mild pain. I was surprised to see blood trickling down my leg. I cleaned it up, no big deal. Two days later for some reason I was picking at the scab and pulled it off. It bled again and actually hurt worse than the initial wound. I don’t really know why I didn’t just let it heal. Maybe because it takes time and I’m impatient. I cleaned it up again, but this time it was a little sore. A couple days went by when I started to scratch at it again, but stopped before I pulled the scab all the way off. Unfortunately I had pulled enough of it up that it snagged on my jeans and ripped right off again. It did finally heal, but I was left with a scar as a reminder.

Maybe you’ve experienced something similar. Oh probably not with ripping scabs off. I think I’m probably just a weirdo in that. But I think we can all tend to do that sometimes with emotional wounds. It’s difficult to forgive someone who has hurt us. It often takes a great deal of work, time, prayer, and counseling. Even if you do everything “right”, forgiveness is not easy. In fact, in some situations I would say true forgiveness is an absolute miracle. I’ve been on the receiving end of forgiveness that I didn’t deserve and I can tell you it is absolutely beautiful. At the same time, my own soul knows the struggle of forgiving someone who hurt me deeply. I rip the scabs off and just won’t let the wounds heal, won’t let my heart forgive. I have definitely not mastered this, but I believe this is a hidden key to living in peace and love. We need to learn to forgive.

Forgiveness says you are given another chance to make a new beginning

Desmond Tutu

Sometimes counseling can feel like ripping off a scab, reopening wounds that are trying to heal. I think a better way to look at that is like re-setting a broken bone. You could just leave it alone and let the bone heal on it’s own, but it may not heal correctly and will cause more pain and debilitation for the rest of your life. In those times, with deep and significant wounding, a good counselor can help open a wound, discover the depths of injury, and guide you in healing that you would never get if you didn’t “open the wounds” to see what’s really going on.

I encourage you, whatever emotional wounding you may have experienced, discover the power of forgiveness. Whether you need to open those wounds with a counselor or just give it some time and stop picking at the scab, great freedom will come as you give and receive forgiveness in your life. As we do, peace and love will become the dominant forces in our families, communities, and across the globe. We can each take responsibility of fighting for peace in our own lives.

It’s one of the greatest gifts you can give yourself, to forgive. Forgive everybody.

Maya Angelou