A note from Kelly King: While reading through Kasey Ewing’s article this morning, I was reminded of a scar that still exists right between my eyes from missing a catch while playing church softball. It’s been more than 30 years since I broke my nose while being a clumsy catcher, but that scar is a reminder that we often carry more than physical scars from our hurts. We must allow the Lord to attend to our emotional hurts and not lead without seeking healing from Him.
For our twentieth wedding anniversary, Brad and I spent two weeks in Hilton Head. Beach tradition is that you rent bikes and ride everywhere you go. Often you find yourself one-on-one with a car. Having not ridden a bike for a good ten years, I hurried across the street and tried to make a sharp right turn. This effort was to stay on the sidewalk and off of the road that was filled with large SUVs.
I did make the turn, but I also sliced my leg on a protruding wooden wall in the yard directly in front of me. A scrape of skin came off in a nice horizontal line that immediately bubbled up. I put on a brave face because I wanted to enjoy each moment with Brad, so we rode on through neighborhood after neighborhood admiring the houses with beachside pools and outdoor kitchens while enjoying the hot sun and the salt-filled air cooling our bodies. My cut stung every now and then, but for the sake of our vacation and my pure enjoyment of my location, I didn’t want to make a big deal out of it and just kept riding.
The following morning I turned over in bed with a view of the golf course and realized that I could not move my leg without some degree of pain. I was shocked to look down and see the depth of my cut and the extreme bruising that had occurred only the day before. I immediately texted a picture of the damage to my sister who was a nurse practitioner, and she quickly let me know that it was infected. It turns out that salty sweat isn’t the best for an open cut. She gave me instructions for taking care of my cut, and I put ointment on it and covered it up for the rest of the trip. If it hurt, I just took pain reliever and continued on with my vacation. Who wants to ruin a dream vacation for a cut that covers most of your right thigh?
One year later, I have a major scar on my leg. It is a consistent reminder of that day.
It cautions me to remember what happens when we leave our wounds open to the elements of life and we do not adequately take care of them.
It warns me that one quick slice of a word or action can inflict extreme disfigurement if not properly cared for.
The scar notes that the hurts that we either inadvertently slide into or run straight toward must be attended to.
The deterioration of our souls is too great to cover up with physical anointment and bandages.
We need the One who attends to our wounds with His own. He is God enough for our healing, and He is God alone who stays with us as full healing occurs.
Kasey Ewing is a writer, speaker, and serves alongside her dad at Lowery Institute for Living where they both speak to churches and businesses. She is the author of God Enough, which details the journey of grief and recovery from the death of her son. Kasey vlogs at realtalkwithkasey.org tackling issues such as marriage, family and church life. She is married to Brad and has three boys—Drew, Jake (in heaven), and Jackson.