Scars Remain but the Wounds Heal

Scars are proof that there is healing

More than 30 years ago when we bought our farm, we had to cut down all the elm trees. They were big beautiful trees that surrounded the house and barn. They had been attacked by a disease that eventually killed all the elm trees in this area. I just read a story about an elm tree that was such a blessing I want to share it.

Many years ago there was a family who chained their bull to an elm tree in their front yard. The chain was made of iron and was mounted to the tree about 3 feet off the ground. As the bull paced around the yard the chain began wearing itself into the bark of the tree. Eventually it became embedded into the trunk. Over the years, the chain caused great damage to the tree, yet it continued to grow!

The family sold the farm at some point, cut the tether that held the bull to the chain, and moved away. The chain itself remained in the tree. Years later, a fungus attacked all the elm trees in the area. Despite the devastating fungus attacking it, the tree did not succumb to the disease. In fact, it continued to grow.

The tree was examined by an expert, who concluded that the tree was immune to the fungus because of all the iron it had absorbed from the chain that was embedded in it.

Wow. What a message in this story! It was the scars that gave strength for it to live, and grow and even thrive!

We all have scars whether they are physical or emotional. We can’t remove them but we can grow and thrive despite them. Sometimes just seeing a scar is a good reminder that the wound has healed and just the scar remains. Wounds can be painful as they heal but usually a scar has lost its ability to hurt.

I have had 14 surgeries and I literally have scars from head to toe. Some are as long as 8 inches, some are small. All are reminders that I went through being cut and now I only have a scar to remind me. Each scar also represents a faithful God who chose to bring healing from each surgery.

No matter what wounds or scars you have today, they lose their ability to hurt you as they heal. Use them to move forward as the elm tree did. Live and thrive from those scars!