In Others’ Words: Bruises

I bruised easily when I was a little girl.

I’m not sure that I learned any significant lessons from those bruises — except maybe to walk a little slower when I climbed the stairs from my bedroom in the basement.

Even now, I’ll knock into the corner of the coffee table and think, “That’s going to leave a bruise.” Lesson learned: Give the coffee table a wider berth.

Then there are the invisible bruises that caused my heart to beat off-rhythm … the words-will-never-hurt-me bruises that tripped up my significance …

Lesson learned: Invisible bruises never fade away … until they are submitted to the gentle touch of the God who Heals (Jehovah-Rapha).

It took me years to trust my heart-bruises to God’s care. To believe His thoughts toward me were lovingkindness and peace. (Isaiah 54:10 NIV) Once I believed in His lavish grace, not a miserly drip … drip … drip of grace that could never satiate the longing of my soul, then my bruises faded in light of who He was — and how much He believed in me.

In Your Words: What lessons have the bruises in your life taught you?